TUCSON, Ariz. -- Among the cheers, dancing, and sea of pink, was 11 year breast cancer survivor Anna Rascon and her family.
“Tu abuelita loves you,” Anna sweetly said to her grandchildren.
Love: a word Anna says got her through her battle with stage three breast cancer.
“I went through 6 months of chemo. All my family was with me. My sister here was with me through every session of chemo. My kids. My nieces,” she told KGUN9, fighting back the tears.
Certainly a big family with big hearts-- and she says they were her secret weapon to beating cancer.
“It’s a hard fight but you have to do it for your loved ones, and when you have as much support as I did, it was easy.”
However, she says there was a time where she wasn’t all smiles-- when she first got diagnosed.
“I wanted to run and hide under a rock. What were they going to do without me? What was my husband going to do without me?” she said as she remembered that dreadful day, 11 years ago.
Months later, after countless doctor’s visits and treatments, she was cancer free.
“11 years later, this is my first grandson, this is my first granddaughter,” Anna said as she kissed her two grandchildren.
In fact, they are her inspiration to be strong and keep up with her check-ups. At the end of the day, she says her battle with breast cancer only made her stronger and has the following words of advice for those still fighting that fight.
“Just get checked and do whatever the doctors tell you and don’t give up. Don’t give into the fear, because if you give into the fear, you won’t make it.”
The American Cancer Society says about 5,550 people participated in this years “Making Strides” Against Breast Cancer Walk. That is 1,000 more than last year.
So far the walk has raised about $140,000 out of the $200,000 goal. However donations can still be made through December. For more information on how you can help the American Cancer Society reach its goal, click here.
