- Joined
- Mar 10, 2005
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The cause of breast cancer prevention, detection and treatment is close to the heart of anyone who has been affected, either directly or by the illness of a loved one.
The NC4x4 community counts Deanna Poplin, a 5-year survivor, as a friend and we asked if she and her family would share the story of her illness and treatment and how they work toward finding a cure. Big Dixie Boobies is the team put together by Deanna, her husband Paul, and their daughter Jenn, along with their wheeling family, the Big Dixie Boggers. The 2011 NC Foothills Race for the Cure will be held at Lenoir Rhyne University on October 15, 2011.
In October, 2006, at the age of 39, Deanna found a lump in her left breast. A mammogram didn't catch it but an ultrasound did. Totally shocked and terrified, her family and friends waited for what seemed like forever on test results to find out what to do, how bad it was and to determine if it had spread. She was diagnosed with infiltrating ductal carcinoma (About 80% of all breast cancers are invasive ductal carcinomas) on 10/30/06. The good news was that her lymph nodes were unaffected.
Deanna's husband, Paul, explains, "She underwent a mastectomy with TRAM flap reconstruction only 13 days after the discovery with three other surgeries since.
Her daughter, Jenn, says, "Talk about turning your world upside down. You can never prepare yourself with the big "C" word."
Deanna adds, "Breast cancer has no age limit or warning. I am living proof."
"When you go through something like this, it changes your outlook on life. I have done things I thought I would never do like riding in a helicopter at the beach, snow tubing, zip lining, and of course rock crawling. I figured, if I survived cancer I can do these things... nothing scarier than cancer. I live life to the fullest now and enjoy everyday and remind those I love everyday. You never know..."
Jenn explained that, once Deanna was free and clear, they decided to do something to help end this disease.
"A couple years later, we joined the Big Dixie Boggers. We realized our potential of doing huge things to support finding a cure for breast cancer... seeing how much the BDB does for the community, it's one more thing our club could do for community awareness and one step closer to finding a cure!"
Jenn adds, "We decided on Susan G. Komen because a 75% of the proceeds raised stay right here in our community to help women make sure they are properly screened for breast cancer, and to educate women on the disease to make sure as many lives as possible are saved. The remaining 25% goes to fund local research into learning more about breast cancer and how to find a cure."
Paul says, "I walk for her and all other women that have been through this shit, cuz I am redneck with a sense of honor."
Paul's sister was diagnosed at age 29 and had a double mastectomy, she is now 57.
Deanna says, "I walk not just for me but for others fighting breast cancer and my girls, they are at a high risk of developing this mess! They have to start on mammograms at the age of 29 now. So many women go through this everyday, it's horrible!"
Jenn explains, "This will be our third year doing this walk, we raised around $1000 the first year, then around $1300 last year, and our goal is at least $2000 this year. Our team has grown every year and, at this point, we have 28 people on our team! We hope to continue to do this every year, and let Big Dixie Boobies grow, and keep fighting to help save lives and find a cure!"
Deanna and PinkyXJ at Gulches ORV Park, Labor Day weekend, 2010
Deanna adds, "This club is awesome and proud to be part of it!"
Big Dixie Boobies has raised $1200 as of September 30. Click here to donate.
Click here to discuss this post.
The NC4x4 community counts Deanna Poplin, a 5-year survivor, as a friend and we asked if she and her family would share the story of her illness and treatment and how they work toward finding a cure. Big Dixie Boobies is the team put together by Deanna, her husband Paul, and their daughter Jenn, along with their wheeling family, the Big Dixie Boggers. The 2011 NC Foothills Race for the Cure will be held at Lenoir Rhyne University on October 15, 2011.
In October, 2006, at the age of 39, Deanna found a lump in her left breast. A mammogram didn't catch it but an ultrasound did. Totally shocked and terrified, her family and friends waited for what seemed like forever on test results to find out what to do, how bad it was and to determine if it had spread. She was diagnosed with infiltrating ductal carcinoma (About 80% of all breast cancers are invasive ductal carcinomas) on 10/30/06. The good news was that her lymph nodes were unaffected.
Deanna's husband, Paul, explains, "She underwent a mastectomy with TRAM flap reconstruction only 13 days after the discovery with three other surgeries since.
Her daughter, Jenn, says, "Talk about turning your world upside down. You can never prepare yourself with the big "C" word."
Deanna adds, "Breast cancer has no age limit or warning. I am living proof."
"When you go through something like this, it changes your outlook on life. I have done things I thought I would never do like riding in a helicopter at the beach, snow tubing, zip lining, and of course rock crawling. I figured, if I survived cancer I can do these things... nothing scarier than cancer. I live life to the fullest now and enjoy everyday and remind those I love everyday. You never know..."
Jenn explained that, once Deanna was free and clear, they decided to do something to help end this disease.
"A couple years later, we joined the Big Dixie Boggers. We realized our potential of doing huge things to support finding a cure for breast cancer... seeing how much the BDB does for the community, it's one more thing our club could do for community awareness and one step closer to finding a cure!"
Jenn adds, "We decided on Susan G. Komen because a 75% of the proceeds raised stay right here in our community to help women make sure they are properly screened for breast cancer, and to educate women on the disease to make sure as many lives as possible are saved. The remaining 25% goes to fund local research into learning more about breast cancer and how to find a cure."
Paul says, "I walk for her and all other women that have been through this shit, cuz I am redneck with a sense of honor."
Paul's sister was diagnosed at age 29 and had a double mastectomy, she is now 57.
Deanna says, "I walk not just for me but for others fighting breast cancer and my girls, they are at a high risk of developing this mess! They have to start on mammograms at the age of 29 now. So many women go through this everyday, it's horrible!"
Jenn explains, "This will be our third year doing this walk, we raised around $1000 the first year, then around $1300 last year, and our goal is at least $2000 this year. Our team has grown every year and, at this point, we have 28 people on our team! We hope to continue to do this every year, and let Big Dixie Boobies grow, and keep fighting to help save lives and find a cure!"
Deanna and PinkyXJ at Gulches ORV Park, Labor Day weekend, 2010
Deanna adds, "This club is awesome and proud to be part of it!"
Big Dixie Boobies has raised $1200 as of September 30. Click here to donate.
Click here to discuss this post.