I Run Because I Live

Jodi Vargas is one of our team members and is a previvor of cancer.  She wanted to share her story below.  Read her story below and then make a donation at http://bit.ly/yZjEXK

I Run Because I Live…

If you’ve read the “our Background” post from January 14, you are aware of the intent of Myriad employees running in part to spend time interacting with their “customers.” I read that, too, and wondered exactly who they were referring to. Turns out, I am one of those customers. The thing is…I don’t feel like a customer at all. I am a patient, a “previvor” (Google it), an advocate. I am one of the people whose life has been changed forever by the kind of research we are raising money and awareness to support.

My name is Jodi Vargas. I’m probably better known, though as Henry’s Mom. My son Henry is 19 now, and still, my favorite thing to be called is Henry’s Mom.

HENRY

Henry’s dad, my husband Alan, died when Henry was only 7 years old. He became ill when I was pregnant with Henry, so Henry only ever knew a sick dad.

JODI, HENRY & ALAN 1995

I was only thirty when I became a widow.

Five years later, my own mother died of ovarian cancer after an eight year horrific battle with that terrible disease.

MY MOM, DIANE 1973

I began asking my doctor about testing even before my mother died. I had witnessed first-hand how deadly ovarian cancer could be, and I was terrified of leaving Henry. I could not bear the thought of putting him through another parent with a long illness – or worse – the death of his only remaining parent. My doctor assured me, however, that I didn’t need to worry about being tested. She said that the tests were generally unreliable, and that since I was only in my early 30’s, I had plenty of time to live without the worry of breast and ovarian cancer. I trusted my doctor, yet each visit to her, I asked about testing again. Over and over, she reassured me that I didn’t need to worry so much.

I tried not to worry. My life was moving forward in amazing ways. In July 2007, I married my husband, Jason, in Hawaii. Henry gave me away at our wedding.

HENRY, JODI & JASON

JULY 2007

Late November 2008 I went to see a family practice doctor because I was having severe allergies. As I was waiting in the exam room for the doctor, I noticed a poster on her wall about BRCA testing. I asked if I could have the test, and without much discussion, my blood was drawn. I got the call on December 12, 2008, two days before my 39^th birthday. I have the BRCA1 mutation, which made me very likely to get breast and ovarian cancer.

I had my BSO and hysterectomy on January 20, and my prophylactic bilateral mastectomy on April 2 of 2009.

Losing both my first husband and my mother after long illnesses has taught me many things. The most important of those is to never take time for granted.

I am proof that being tested made a difference. I get to continue to be Henry’s Mom for a very long time.

PLEASE CONSIDER HELPING US RAISE AWARENESS AND FUNDS FOR MORE RESEARCH. IT LITERALLY SAVED MY LIFE!


To make a donation to the Huntsman Cancer Foundation and help support Jodi and her vision to find a cure for cancer, visit : http://bit.ly/yZjEXK