Survivors Say
Rosemary Herron is a 14-year breast cancer survivor and longtime Pink Ribbon Volunteer at MD Anderson's Nellie B. Connally Breast Center. She also volunteers at MD Anderson in Sugar Land. In 2012, she received the Painter Award for outstanding contributions to the Anderson Network support group, now known as myCancerConnection. Though her breast cancer returned two months later, she continued volunteering throughout treatment. Rosemary and her husband Don, recently contributed $25,000 to support a HER2 vaccine research program, Injecting Hope. The program is led by Elizabeth Mittendorf, M.D., associate professor, Breast Surgical Oncology.
One of my MD Anderson physicians, Dr. Jean-Bernard Durand, suggested that I share my around-the-world travel photos to inspire other patients to live life while living with cancer. I'm now on maintenance therapy, receiving Herceptin and Perjeta every three weeks. We schedule my treatments around my life, not my life around my treatments. I consider myself an unofficial MD Anderson ambassador and frequently wear my MD Anderson T-shirts when traveling. I'm almost always approached with questions about my experiences, which I'm happy to share. I've had the most outstanding health care team there and feel blessed to be under their care. I want people to know that MD Anderson is not only a world-renowned cancer center, but also a place of hope and genuine kindness and compassion.
Promise invites cancer survivors to share their reflections. Email promise@mdanderson.org.