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PAINTING LENAWEE PINK THE DAILY TELEGRAM, ADRIAN, MICHIGAN4 THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1 3, 2011

(517) 467-7225400 N. Main St., Suite C Onsted

A pharmacy where

Caring Beyond Prescriptionsis not just a slogan

1149 Sand Creek Hwy.,

Suite D, Adrian

www.salonchic.biz

517-266-0212

HOPE for a CURE!

Office: (517) 436-3141 Toll Free: (800) 720-7831Fax: (517) 436-3152 www.keller insuranceagency.net

Kevin H. Keller -Agent, Owner

Karen K. Lambka -Agent, Business Manager

Brittney L. Robinson -Agent

A Family Business Since 1952

Automobile FarmHome Crop Insurance

Commercial Hail

9059 S. Adrian

Jasper, MI 49248

By Renee Lapham CollinsDaily Telegram Special Writer

ADRIAN StephanieWeyenberg didnt have a familyhistory of breast cancer, she hadbreast fed all three of her chil-dren and shed never had anabnormal mammogram.

When I was a young mother,I learned that breast feedinggreatly reduces any chance ofbreast cancer, she recalled.We had no cancer history in my

family.So when Dr. Abdul Arshad at

Bixby Medical Center told hershe had cancer, I was shocked.

Weyenberg, owner of MapleCity Floral/ Vine Street FlowerShop in downtown Adrian for thelast 19 years, had an eraser-sizedtumor on her right breast and amass on the left side measuring 2.4centimeters or about an inch. Abiopsy revealed the mass on theright side was a rare granular cell

tumor, which, Weyenberg said, isusually benign.Dr. Arshad said he wanted to

take the (benign) tumor outbecause he didnt want to find outin five years that he should havedone it, Weyenberg said. WhenI went back after the surgery, Iwasnt prepared for them to tellme I had cancer on both sides.

Weyenberg remembers herhusband wasnt with her at thatfirst appointment because theyweren't expecting a cancer diag-

nosis and I tried to zone in onwhat the doctor was saying, but ittook some digesting.

I didnt feel any different fromDecember, when Id had the firstmammogram, to that moment,

she said. I had been in relativelygood health and I felt fine.

Sentinelmarkersrevealedthatwhilethe can-cer hadnot spreadany furtheron the rightside, it hadspread into the

lymph nodes inher arm. Shehad a lumpec-tomy toremove all the tumors and theaffected lymph nodes.

Then I went to see Dr. (Rex)Mowat to start my chemother-apy, she said. Its bizarre howbad I felt when chemo started,then I lost my hair. But I didntallow myself to have any pityparties.

Weyenberg, a Grand Rapidsnative, moved to Adrian whenshe married her husband Martin41 years ago. The Weyenbergshave three children; Adam andBethanne Weyenberg live inTennessee with children Maxand Macy while daughter Erinand her husband Joe live withtheir son, Eden, in Adrian.Youngest son Bret and his girl-friend Courtney Taft round outthe Weyenberg clan.

In 2008, Weyenberg partici-

pated in Paint the Town Pinkand discovered the healthdepartment offered free mam-mograms for women withoutinsurance.

My husband had lost his job

and health insurance so I wentto the health department inDecember and they sent me toBixby for my mammogram,Weyenberg said. Bixby calledme the next day to get a repeatmammogram.

She was officially diagnosed inMay 2009 and finished her treat-ments nearly a year later, onApril 2, 2010, which happened tobe Good Friday.

I renamed it Great Friday,Weyenberg said.

She had all of her treatmentsat the Hickman Cancer Centerand said it was the best experi-ence.

They are great there,Weyenberg said. They are alljust fabulous.

Throughout her treatment,Weyenberg said she worked tostay positive.

Staying positive is key, shesaid. For whatever reason, Ihad cancer and I had to use my

energy to get better so I turnedmy why me? into why not me?I had a phenomenal support sys-tem friends, family, church,my fellow downtown merchantsand neighbors.

Today, Weyenberg is partici-pating in a clinical trial and iscancer-free. She is a strong advo-cate for mammograms andencourages women to get themregularly.

I was just walking with a cou-ple of neighbor ladies the other

day and I asked them if theydhad their mammograms,Weyenberg said. One had justhad hers and the other was plan-ning to schedule one.

Im all about mammograms.

Telegram photo by Renee Lapham Collins

Stephanie Weyenberg, who is now cancer-free, stands in the door-way of her downtown Adrian store, Maple City Floral/Vine StreetFlower Shop.

SURVIVOR PROFILE:

STEPHANIE WEYENBERG

Salutingsurvivors