Amberlea Childs
Amberlea was diagnosed at age 36 with an aggressive, Stage 3 breast cancer and begins her story by saying “I am a 5 year survivor and so happy to be alive!” Now a breast health educator for Susan G. Komen of Southeast Wisconsin’s “Kohl’s Conversations for a Cure,” she has also been recently certified as a Food for Life Instructor and teaches plant based cooking classes around disease prevention. In both roles, Amberlea advocates for “women to take action and become active participants in their health.” Amberlea has volunteered for both the WBCC and the National Breast Cancer Coalition, lobbying in Madison and Washington DC on breast cancer issues—and now, as a Survivor Artist, she says she is “thrilled” to contribute her very meaningful chair.
Jessica Davies
Jessica was diagnosed at age 40 and is grateful for previous research and onco-testing which indicated she would not benefit from chemotherapy, allowing her to “return to work and life quickly, and spare my teenagers from watching me suffer.” She feels blessed to have had a short and uncomplicated journey so far and yet acknowledges that her diagnosis has impacted her daily life—”From the beginning: seeking education and being well informed. In the midst of my treatment: gathering strength from family and friends. With treatment behind me: daily commitment to exercise, eating well and experiencing daily joy.” She sees her participation in Rare Chair Affair as a way to be “with a group of strong women to celebrate being on the other side of treatment.”
Jo DeMars
Jo has been participating as a Survivor Artist and as a Survivor Artist Mentor every year since her diagnosis at 59. She has also served on the board of directors for WBCC and does all of this because she admires the advocacy work that WBCC does. “There is no other organization in Wisconsin that does this work, and the unrepresented need someone to speak for them.” She’s learned, through her journey, to take the good days with the bad, “accepting that there is a time and place for all things in this world.” Jo feels it’s time for a greater research focus on how to avoid cancer. That if we can accomplish that, then all the detection and all the treatment, and support could take a “back seat” to prevention. “I dream of a world in which my children and grandchildren know a cancer diagnosis is no more serious than appendicitis.”
Kelly, Chelsea and Carly Herda
In Honor of Cory Johnson
Kelly, an active volunteer for WBCC, and her daughters have previously created an “In Memoriam” chair for RCA honoring Kelly’s mother and grandmother, who both lost their lives to breast cancer. This year they are honoring the survivorship of Kelly’s childhood friend, Cory Johnson who was diagnosed at age 49. Kelly wanted to honor her friend as a positive and inspiring woman who beat cancer, joined Aurora Health Care’s Team Phoenix and then took a leadership role in helping other survivors with their recovery. “She’s beaten breast cancer and now she’s running 5Ks and bringing other survivors with her!” Cory says her survivorship has been about “living life to the fullest. It was a springboard for what I want to be going forward. I’m looking forward to the future and not allowing myself to be defined by breast cancer.”
Kelly Ann Krohn
Kelly’s diagnosis at age 39 hasn’t dampened her sense of fun–she loves “doing things that get other survivors together and things that are fun. Having cancer doesn’t have to be the end of the world and having a strong, positive attitude is key in survivorship!” Since her diagnosis she has focused on being active with the American Cancer Society and being a positive role model for other women who’ve been diagnosed. “I want to show them that with a great team of doctors, a strong support system, and the willingness to keep your chin up, it is possible to kick cancer’s ass!”
Pilar Moller
Pilar was diagnosed at 38 and believes that one of the hardest parts of surviving breast cancer, is surviving–pointing out that “after your hair grows back, and you get back into a routine, people seem to forget that you even had cancer.” She says she wanted to paint for Rare Chair Affair “because cancer should not easily be forgotten, nor should the people whose lives are affected by it.” For now her survivorship is about getting back to normal and enjoying her favorite things from her pre-cancer life. “Also, I’m eating lots of tacos, because everything is better with tacos.”
Jane Moore
Diagnosed at 65 after 40 years of normal mammograms, Jane feels strongly that many women her age don’t understand that their risk increases with age and that they need to continue their annual screenings. She describes her survivorship as being about “Staying alive in body and spirit. Coming to peace with the fact that I am not the same person I was and will never be. Learning to find a peaceful place in the midst of great fear. Being amazed and eternally thankful for the kindness and support and love that other people have given me. . . . Gaining clarity in how I want to spend my time and feeling a sense of renewal and energy.” She is happy to have this opportunity to meet and make art with other survivor artists.
Sandra Pelzek
Sandra was diagnosed at age 33 and came to the Rare Chair Affair at the invitation of two other survivor artists “who I enjoy spending time with and their participation encouraged me—I do not think of myself as an artist!” She says that one focus of her survivorship has been about understanding which things in life are—or are not—worth stressing over and feels that “it’s important to take time to care for yourself, not just for you, but for those you love.”
Monica Scharmer
Monica was diagnosed at age 41 and credits early detection to being a survivor of Stage 1 breast cancer. She is five years into a survivorship in which she says she is focusing on “self-education, awareness and reaching out to others”—all of which goes along with her reason for wanting to be a Rare Chair Affair Survivor Artist: “. . . to pay it forward to honor all those that have helped me.”
Pat Skowronski
Pat has endured three diagnoses of breast cancer and is philosophical about this latest one. “At times I think, is it ‘three strikes you’re out’, or is it ‘three times the charm’? I like to think this will be my ‘charm’.” Pat has been a Survivor Artist and Survivor Artist Mentor since 2009 and she has loved the experience of working with other survivor artists. “These women feel I am helping them, but in turn, they have given me a drive and a purpose to continue my fight against breast cancer. . . . It is a difficult struggle and if I am able to give someone a feeling of hope and encouragement, it is fulfilling to me.”
Tina Van Handel
Tina was diagnosed at the age of 39. She attended the 2013 Rare Chair Affair as her treatments were coming to an end and found it a “welcoming and wonderful experience”. She says “It just feels like the right time for me to share my story and maybe contribute something to other finding themselves where I was a few years ago.” Since her diagnosis, Tina tries very hard to focus on the future—to “look ahead and never look back”—while acknowledging how terrifying the thought of a recurrence and metastasis is. Despite that fear, she focuses on her children and family. “I would like to think I have shown my daughters how to overcome something bad with sheer determination and strength and faith in God.”
Marge Vetter
For Marge, finding out she had breast cancer was not as hard as telling her family and friends. She was ready to do what needed to be done to get rid of it and move on with her life! Marge is returning to Rare Chair Affair with the final chairs in a spectacular series she has created over the years that follows a young girl’s life. Her inspiration for the series is best described in her own words: “As a breast cancer survivor I learned that there are always hopes and dreams, no matter what age or stage. Being a survivor reminded me to trust my own wisdom in making my choices and to never stop dreaming.”
Debbie Voelker
Debbie has only recently finished her treatment and is already on a mission to be a strong advocate for breast cancer awareness! She says that since her diagnosis, her survivorship has been about “talking up and positively encouraging early detection through regular screenings. Based on my own early diagnosis, I feel committed to spreading that message to anyone who will listen!”
Young Survival Coalition “Rare Chair Cuties”
Nearly all of these charming ladies are returning Survivor Artists who wanted to do a chair together honoring their “metastatic sisters.” We are so grateful to have Lindsey, Kristal, Meredith and Stacy returning, and we welcome Sherie to her first Rare Chair Affair! All of these women are members of the Young Survival Coalition (YSC). YSC focuses on the unique issues young women with breast cancer face. It provides comprehensive resources, support and education to address every phase of young women’s experience with breast cancer. Wisconsin has a face-to-face group that meets monthly and an online group that is active 24/7. To find out more about YSC visit www.youngsurvival.org.
Sherie Drees:
I am married and the mother of seven year old twin boys. In May of this year, at age 35, I discovered a large lump while showering. Uneasy and concerned I scheduled a doctor appointment and was examined that day. In the weeks that followed, concerns grew and I had mammograms, ultrasounds, and eventually a biopsy. On May 27, 2015 I received the phone call confirming that I had breast cancer (Invasive Ductal Carsinoma Grade 2). I am triple-positive and have begun my treatment with chemotherapy. This year I will have surgery, radiation, and continue chemotherapy. Although I am in the beginning of my treatment and have a long way to go, I remain positive and my spirit strong.
Meredith Polewski:
I was diagnosed with stage 2 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma in 2009 when I was 31 years old. At the time my children were 4 and 1. I had 16 rounds of chemo, multiple surgeries, and plenty of complications. I am happy to say that I am now more than 6 years cancer free!! I am so thankful for the support I have received from my friends and family. I have so very many friends that I never would have met if it weren’t for YSC and Team Phoenix, and I feel so lucky to have them in my life. Cancer has forever changed me, but it did not break me!!
Lindsey O’Connor:
I was diagnosed with Stage 2 in 2012 at the age of 35. Over the past three years I have had tremendous support from my husband, family and friends. Cancer taught me a lot of things, including life is short, to live every day with meaning and if you want to try something, do it! I give back to other young women by serving as the State Leader for the Young Survival Coalition. After almost three years I joined Team Phoenix and finished my first triathlon this year.
Stacy Scrip:
I was diagnosed with Stage 3 in 2008 when I was 38 years old. Everything moved so quickly, but I was blessed to have a supportive husband, family and friends. In 2014, after being cancer free for 5+ years, I joined Team Phoenix to be redefined as a survivor. I competed in my first Sprint Triathlon and continue to train and participate in as many events as my budget and time will allow.
Kristal Clegg:
In the early winter of 2011, at the age of 33, I discovered a lump in my right breast. At the time I was an Independent Contractor with zero medical insurance. I told myself it was a cyst and ignored it for the next 3 months. Finally in April, I forced myself to go to a free clinic and the cancer craziness began. I was diagnosed with Stage 3, had a lumpectomy, 4 months of chemo and 6 weeks of radiation. Thanks to the generosity of charity organizations and state aid, I was able to go through the long road to recovery with no worries of financial debt. I was ready to begin life again. Then, In the summer of 2013, I began acting differently. I was pulling away from friends and family, not performing well at work and doing silly things like forgetting to wear my shoes to a restaurant. It got to a point when my family forced me to go to the emergency room, where they discovered that my breast cancer had metastasized to the brain. I had a surgery that fully removed the tumor and radiation to the area. It was another long recovery but today I feel amazing and have been cancer free for 2 years!!
Carrie Danhieux Poole and Natalie Akins
Artist Advisors
We are so fortunate this year to have Carrie, an art therapist, and Natalie, an art therapist in training, to work with some of our survivor artists this year! Carrie was enthusiastic about participating because “as an art therapist, I believe in the healing power of the creative process” and feels honored to be part of the Rare Chair Affair. Natalie and Carrie, in their work, are soliciting words from patients that describe the cancer experience and using these expressions, are collaborating on a very special chair for our auction!