Gail Page aka " Angel "  ggwpage@aol.com            I registered my daughter, Maya for 5th grade in August, 2005 and thought while I’m doing this, I need to get my annual check up. Except it would not be annual—it had been three years since my last checkup. With a business, (I owned The Elephant’s Tale, a toy store in Peachtree City), husband and two children, I put myself last. Two days before my checkup, I was lying in bed doing my mental check list of things to do for the day, when I thought about my upcoming mammogram. I could hear the nurse asking me if I’d done my breast self exams, which I had not. So while lying in bed on my side, I checked my breast and felt a lump. It felt like a small soft-boiled egg yolk.  I sat up, because I was groggy and checked again. There was nothing. So I lay on my side again and there it was. Since I could move the lump around and it hurt, I thought I had a cyst or infection. I remember reading that breast cancer does not hurt. I causally told the mammography technician that she would see a cyst on my mammogram. After having a sonogram and biopsy, I found out that the lump was cancer.     Upon hearing the news I immediately thought how could this be? There is no cancer in my immediate or extended family. Suddenly I’m faced with a terrible disease that could kill me. One thing I knew was that I could not let fear take over. There was no room for it. I needed every positive force in me and around me to fight, so for the first time in my life, I was completely focused on the daunting task before me, allowing only determination and the will to beat this lead me.  There was no time for questions about "why me".  After hearing the statistics of breast cancer, I said, why not me? More importantly,  I had to show my children that in life we all will face challenges and you have a choice of how to deal with them.  With God's help and guidance I wanted to show them how to fight positively with optimism and stand up to the challenge.  No pity party in the Page household!   I was diagnosed on November 22, 2005; one month before Christmas, the busiest time of year for a toy store, My daughter was turning 11 on December 10th and I did not want to ruin her birthday, nor did I want to ruin Christmas for my family, so I thought I should wait until after the holidays to have surgery. My surgeon wisely advised me to have surgery sooner so, I had a Lumpectomy on December 7th, and celebrated my daughter’s birthday three days later. For me, the hardest part of having cancer was telling Bob, Vaughn and Maya. I told them individually, of course telling Bob right away.  He was at first stunned.  I could see the look of despair on his face.  But once we talked to the doctors, got a prognosis and sought out information, Bob became my strong, calm, steady force, my biggest cheerleader.  Vaughn later told me he felf as if he had been punched in the chest.  Watching me go through chemo made him feel as if he was fading away.  He said that all he could do for me was love me and pray for God's strength.  He felt his life was crumbling before him.  Even though Maya had friends whose mothers survived cancer, Maya was profoundly sad and angry, until I started losing my hair from chemo.  She couldn't believe that taking medicine to kill cancer cells makes your hair fall out.  We took a family trip, along with my father and sister to buy a wig.  My bald head gave her something to focus on and laugh about.  I did not have a perfectly round head, which she found hilarious.  She called me Fester (from the Addams Family TV show). After 4 months of chemo and 6 weeks of radiation, I was finished.  We survived!  I learned about myself and I learned how to humble myself to accept help from family and friends.  God brought me through this ordeal stronger in Him; I truly understood trust and faith.  Yes, there were dark moments, but they were just that, moments.  I was blessed with family and friends who prayed for me and even strangers prayed for me.  I learned that time is very precious.  Make the most of it.  Stay positive and surround yourself with positive people.  I am moving forward, a happy and grateful cancer SURVIVOR. Email Gail at:  ggwpage@aol.com

Yolanda Lee aka " Breathe Right " yodieclee@aol.com My daughter N'Keyma was born in August, 1993. I was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in November, 1993.  My doctors believe I may have had it in January, 1992, when my daughter Alysia, was born and perhaps my estrogen level caused the cancer to accelerate. I joined BRA primarily because of my commitment to promoting breast cancer awareness.  Secondly, I've always wanted to learn how to ride a motorcycle and riding a motorcycle just happened to be one of the requirements as a BRA member.   Most teenage girls have a lot of things going on at this point in their lives.  Being concerned about breast cancer is certainly not one of them because they think breast cancer is for older people.  When I was 16 and a junior in high school, I discovered a lump in my right breast and had a myoectomy. I discovered a lump again in my right breast during my sophomore year of college.  I had another myoectomy.  Surprisingly, the breast cancer showed up in my left breast.  I underwent a mastectomy, chemo, radiation and breast reconstruction.  Therefore, if I'm able to persuade teenage girls to take control of their health at a young age and conduct breast self-examinations, then my commitment to BRA has been worthwhile. Email Yolanda at:  yodieclee@aol.com

Peggy Auxier aka " Sweeper " pegndon@bellsouth.net I work at Cycle City Power Sports in Newnan as the Accessory Manager.  I love riding and think women and riding is a powerful thing. That is why I am so excited about BRA.  It is empowering women to ride and raise awareness of Breast Cancer. A combination I am passionate about. "I am a Survivor and I have at least 60 more years of all those new motorcycles to check out."     In October 2004, I was diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer. In December, after going through another series of invasive tests, I was told the devastating news that my cancer had progressed to Stage 4, and had entered into my bones, liver, lungs and lymph nodes.  I began treatment for my cancer in January 2005. As of August 26, 2007 I still have cancer. It's in my back and leg area. My treatments are only once a month and I get sick for a few days after the treatment. I take medicines daily. I feel blessed! They didn't think they would get the spots cleared so to have all but two areas cleared is a blessing. I am married to Don Auxier and in October, 2007, we celebrated 10 great years of marriage and riding together.  He has been my rock throughtout this entire thing.  Without my entire family, friends, co-workers, motorcycle family and my babies (my animals), I would not have survived this fight.  The amount of support was unreal. Being the youngest of six kids and being blessed with a ton of family made me feel very well protected.  The BlackJack Motorcycle Chapter (OneEyeJacks) did the fundraiser for me along with a ton of work from my family, co-workers and my employer made the event successful. Many THANKS and LOVE to all of you for the financial support along with the love, prayers and support that I still receive today.  YOU ALL ROCK... Email Peggy at:  pegndon@bellsouth.net

Self Breast Exams Saves Lives...

Conquer Your Fear To Become Stronger!

BikersRidingForAwareness