Susan Zager

It’s been a slow process of testing, fuzzy thinking, difficult concentration, pain, and symptoms piling on over the past few months. Then there was more pain on my right breast that recently extended to my back ribs too. I’ve had early stage breast cancer twice, chemotherapy, radiation, lots of breast surgeries including a mastectomy with reconstruction. While I feel fear, I refuse to let it run my life, (easier said than done) especially when there’s so much I am grateful for including all the incredible support around me.

I’ve taken care of cancer patients for several decades and they’ve taught me something about life. I often get into discussions about life and living with my cancer patients who have a unique outlook because they are face to face with their mortality. I’m reminded daily to have a big picture view of life and to understand what is a real problem. It’s so easy to be caught up in day to day dramas that we lose sight of what is a real problem.

RIGHT NOW to save the Department of Defense ‪#‎BreastCancer‬ Research Program (DOD BCRP). Senator John McCain (R-AZ) is offering an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on the Senate floor TODAY which would do irreparable damage to the Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program. As a breast cancer survivor/activist, the DOD BCRP is incredibly important to me and has produced results which have directly benefited survivors like me, including those who have served and currently serve our country in the armed forces. This is a pre-written letter that you can send to let your Senators know how important it is that we don’t lose funding for the very successful Breast Cancer Research Program.