Laura Lawrence

"Michelle's Place was instrumental in getting me through breast cancer, especially after losing my husband nine months before."

Shortly after her husband's death, Laura was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer at 40.  Her check-up was routine, as she had no previous breast health symptoms or concerns.

Luckily, she had read about the Michelle's Place Wellness Program in the newspaper.  "I immediately became involved with the Wellness Program.  I delved into every program.  I was overwhelmed by the love and friendship offered to me through Michelle's Place, " Laura explained.

"It was great to become involved and busy.  Having Michelle's Place to turn to gave me hope and a sense of purpose."

The Kids Konnected program was helpful for Laura's youngest daughter, Syndey, who attended a camp for kids who have had a parent with cancer.  Her 13-year-old daughter, Jade, is a familiar face to many who volunteer at health fairs where Michelle's Place participates.

Laura is currently healthy and plans to continue as an active volunteer for Michelle's Place.

And here is Laura's story that she shared with us for Spring Fling 2010...
I am a 41 year old Hispanic woman born into a loving family of seven.  I am the oldest of four sisters and one brother.  We were raised to do everything as a family.  My father worked hard to send all five of us to Catholic parochial elementary school and Catholic high school.  I also attended Catholic college for a couple of years.  Unity, togetherness was instilled in us at an early age.  Family traditions included gourmet cooking, watching funny movies and quoting them, singing Motown and just being together.  We are a very tight family and have a very bright light about us because we are so close.

Shortly after school I met Rich, the Love of my Life.  Rich was Italian,a musician and drummer in a band when I met him.  He was almost done with his music major.  We knew were more than just in love, we were soul mates, and it was destiny!  He was my lover, my best friend and now has become my angel watching over me.  We married and had 3 daughters, Marisa, Jade and Sydney.  Rich was diagnosed with a rare inoperable brain tumor.  It had been a couple of years being treated with meds and things seemed okay.  But then when something didn't seem right we didn't get the chance to find out anything was wrong until morning of Christmas Eve, 2006.  I can't begin to explain the pain, the horror that was my life for many months.  This was a love that could never be broken and the earth was taking away my Rich.  I could not stand the idea of life without my love.

Somehow, I was able to say to myself that my health better be A-OK because I don't want any surprises.  So I started to schedule everything I hadn't done but needed done.  They ordered a routine mammogram because I had just turned 40.  By November, I was in surgery having my first biopsy done that proved to be malignant.  Only eleven months after my husband's death, I'm told it's not surprising and is very common.  It wasn't long before the Wellness Program caught my eye in the newspaper that Michelle's Place was sponsoring.  I already knew about Michelle's Place because I had been there for a friends when she was diagnosed years ago.  Well, now it was my blessing to be involved!

My experiences have been with wonderful, loving, real ladies who genuinely want to help you understand what is going on with your body, mind, soul and heart.  There is nothing better than to feel an embrace from someone you know really cares.  My real struggle has been living without my husband, my Love of my Life, my Heart.  The cancer just became something we couldn't share together.  Because of the women that I have met from Michelle's Place for the first time I finally felt HOPE!  Hope that I am going to make it on this journey, this path that I have started.  I have learned more about myself and jut that you can still get great satisfaction from letting people in.  I look forward to spending more time with these women.  There is a sense of community that i am proud to have joined by no coincidence, I believe.  Many blessings on these women that give so much!

Next - Candice Nagel