Thinking pink
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on October 14, 2015 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/MELISSA KEY
Mabel Lamprea, right, a breast cancer survivor, and her daughter Maria, 19, smile as they work to raise a lantern after the Think Pink breast cancer awareness walk at Wayne Memorial Hospital on Tuesday.
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News-Argus/MELISSA KEY
Best friends, from left, Dana Bailey, Andrea Burnette, Stephanie Wallace and Brandy Broome wear matching shirts saying "She is brave" and pink wigs to support Andrea, who was recently diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer during the Think Pink walk Tuesday evening at Wayne Memorial Hospital.
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News-Argus/MELISSA KEY
Kaidynce Bailey, left, smiles as her friend Paylan Broome has help putting on her pink wig during the Think Pink breast cancer awareness walk on Tuesday. The two came with Dana Bailey to support Andrea Burnette during the event.
Andrea Burnette has had a tough year.
In July, she lost her dad, Davey Harris.
Still reeling from that, she was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer that has since spread.
"It didn't show up in the mammogram," she says. "It's only been a month ago, six weeks.
"The very first thing they did was neck surgery."
She wore a neck brace Tuesday night when she turned up at the "Think Pink" breast cancer awareness walk on the front lawn of Wayne Memorial Hospital. And she was not alone.
Amid a sea of survivors and navigators on the cancer journey, Mrs. Burnette was greeted by a team of friends, family, co-workers from Tommy's Road Elementary School and her church, Gateway Community. Before her arrival, church members had hastily distributed pink and gray T-shirts in support, the front bearing the message "She is Brave."
Stephanie Wallace has been "best friends forever" with Mrs. Burnette.
"She's already our hero," Mrs. Wallace said. "It was coincidental that this (event) happened around her diagnosis. But we're going to be here to support her.
"We lost my son (Dalton Wallace, at 101/2) seven years ago. She was my rock through that so this is the least we can do."
Kevin Gardner, worship pastor at Gateway, said despite the somber news that preceded the event, he was proud of the way the church had responded.
"It's taught us some things about faith," he said.
"It's quite a battle," Mrs. Burnette said, adding that she was feeling OK, just tired. "It's been quite a whirlwind."
Between doctor visits and trips to Duke, where she had a recent surgery and still faces chemo and radiation, the mother of two -- Keegan, 16, and Avery, 14 -- tries to stay upbeat.
"She's been awesome so far," said her husband, Stephen Burnette. "She's got a great attitude."
Next month she turns 40, something she might formerly have dreaded.
Funny how a cancer diagnosis can change things, she said, as she is now thankful for every single day.
DeAnn Lear can relate.
"I was finding out about five years ago right now," she said during a walk around the track in front of the hospital. "I was right in the middle of testing. By December, it was confirmed. In February, I had the surgery."
A group of Rosewood Elementary School teachers, assistants and friends wore bright pink shirts with flying bees on them surrounded by the words "Boo (bees) Brigade" gathered to support Jennifer Jenkins, whose T-shirt also bore the title "Queen Bee."
Ms. Jenkins, an instructional assistant at Rosewood Elementary, was diagnosed last October.
"I'm good," she said Tuesday evening. "I was (deemed) cancer-free Aug. 14."
Her treatment included four surgeries, with co-workers crediting her with demonstrating great strength, hardly missing a day of work.
"She's had the best attitude," said Michelle Mitchell, also an instructional assistant.
"It was very aggressive, growing very fast, but they caught it and got it all," Ms. Jenkins said.
"We were part of her village," Ms. Mitchell said.
"Every surgery, every appointment (Michelle) took me because I had no family here," Ms. Jenkins said.
"She does have family, just not blood," Ms. Mitchell corrected.
The turnout for the floating event was impressive, said Jana Blackman, the hospital's director of health promotions and chairman of the Culture of Wellness Committee, which sponsored the event.
"Three hundred registered online and I feel like we have had more than that," she said.
The crowd was a mix of those with firsthand experience of the disease and others there to lend support or remember loved ones lost.
Sandra Johnson of Pikeville is just starting radiation treatments. Diagnosed in April, she said since then she had surgery at the end of May, chemo and another surgery.
Rosemary Singleton has been cancer-free "eight years and counting," she said.
When she was diagnosed in 2007, her daughter had an upcoming destination wedding in Jamaica and Ms. Singleton had a class of ninth-graders at Goldsboro High School depending on her.
"Things happen fast," she said.
Angela McDowell was there to honor an "auntie who passed," but had a scare of her own with the diagnosis.
"I'm at the six month (mark) now," she said, explaining that she was especially vigilant about encouraging others to have a mammogram. "I believe in being proactive. I have two young ladies (at work), I will be 50 in December, they have never had mammograms. I'm trying to drive it home."
To do its part, the hospital set up a table for anyone wanting to schedule a mammogram appointment.
Robin Benson, mammography supervisor, and Stacy Hill, imaging analyst, were happy with the response from those making appointments or simply becoming more educated.
"I think we have had about 10 schedule a mammogram," Ms. Benson said. "We had a variety that hadn't had mammograms in a while. One had a friend bring her up to make an appointment, friends making friends' appointments.
"This is the best turnout I have had (at such an event)."
"I have been very pleased with the crowd we have had tonight," Ms. Hill said. "If you have had a mammogram but something doesn't feel right, get it checked. Be persistent. You're your best advocate."