For the fifth consecutive year, October Research, LLC is raising money for the Stefanie Spielman Fund for Breast Cancer Research at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center –Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute. 10 percent of revenue from new subscriptions to all of our publications will be donated to the fund through Oct. 17.

“In this industry we often hear attending a conference is like attending a family reunion. We know each other and care about each other, and members are not immune to this disease in its many forms,” CEO and Publisher Erica Meyer said. “Survivors inspire us to help others fighting this battle. We have one of the premiere cancer research and care facilities close to home and we’re always happy to support its work.”

One of our industry friends, SoftPro’s Leslie Wyatt is one of those survivors and shared her story with us.

SoftPro Director of Industry Relations Leslie Wyatt went to the doctor for her first mammogram earlier this year and was diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer. Wyatt had never been sick and felt healthy.

“It was quick. It was surreal,” she said. “I went for routine mammogram because I’m 42. They called me back and said they wanted me to come down and have a diagnostic mammogram. They confirmed something was there. I had an ultrasound and within a week I had a biopsy. About a week later the results came back that it was breast cancer. It was all very fast.  Less than a week later I had surgery.”

Wyatt was diagnosed very early and was able to have a lumpectomy instead of a larger, more invasive surgery. It had not spread far, but she said had she waited six months or a year, it would have been a different story. She started going to daily radiation for five weeks. Her last day was the last day of school for her daughters, Moira, Riley and Corinne, so they took off to the beach.

She is now in remission and cancer-free. She will take medication for five years and will have to get check-ups with a variety of doctors every three months.

“I was able to work most of the time other than right after surgery. I work from home and I think that made a difference and helped me be able to work through treatment. SoftPro was beyond great. They went out of their way to accommodate me any way they could. I traveled right up to the first day of radiation in hopes of getting as many of my trips in as I could. I did have to cancel two trips though. It was surreal. It’s weird now looking back now. It was just so quick,” said Wyatt.

Aside from the doctor visits and medication, Wyatt said there weren’t many lifestyle changes. The hardest part, she said, was telling her girls who are 9, 7 and 5 about her diagnosis.

“We did have to tell the girls. I was hoping not to,” she said. “We told the two oldest. The youngest wasn’t with us and we were grabbing a bite with the other two. They kind of knew I had surgery, but not to what extent, just that I had to have something done. Because I had to go radiation every day and we didn’t know what the side effects might be we had to tell them what was going on. For kids, it’s scary. They don’t understand, they just knew their mom was sick and we scared. That was the hardest thing for me.”

Wyatt is still doing her part to raise awareness. She completed the Chicago 39.3 Mile Avon Breast Cancer Walk in June. Ironically, she had signed up to do the walk and raise money to help find a cure prior to be diagnosed. It took on a whole new meaning after finding out she in fact had breast cancer. Wyatt was going through radiation at the time of the walk but still managed to walk the 39.3 miles in hopes of helping others. She had the support of her family and friends. Two of her very good friends joined the walk with her.

“Some of our best friends here in Chicago happen to own a bar. They generously offered to hold a fundraiser to help us meet our fundraising goals for the walk,” she said. “We turned it into a family event, it was really great. We raised more than we could have hoped for. The generosity and support was overwhelming.”

She said she wonders, now, what would have happened if she had postponed that mammogram. 

“People always think it’s not going to happen to them; I definitely fell into that category,” Wyatt said. “Definitely get your mammograms. Don’t think because you’re healthy or don’t feel anything or you don’t have a family history, you don’t still need to go get it done.”

“I would never have found it without a mammogram. Ever.”

To help us contribute to this worthy institution please visit www.octoberstore.com.