"The Miracle and the Butterfly"

My breast cancer journey began on April 2, 1945, when my mother was wheeled into an operating room, not knowing whether she had breast cancer or how radical the surgery would be. She had cancer, the surgery was extensive and in the weeks that followed she was also treated with massive doses of radiation. Miraculously, she was a long-term survivor. When she died on September 22, l997, the cause of death was a stroke, not breast cancer.

A year and a day following my mother's death, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. After ten months of treatment, including surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, I treated myself to a trip to New York City. One evening as I hailed a cab after the theater, a miracle occurred. A radiant, smiling woman approached me and said, "Would you like a ride? My car is right across the street." I thought, "This is New York and anything could happen. Should I do this?" On the strength of my intuition, I agreed. When I told the woman that I was in New York to celebrate the completion of my treatment for breast cancer, she said, "Welcome to the club. I am also a survivor." This lovely woman was Anna Bulgari, President of the American-Italian Cancer Foundation.

Shortly after I returned to San Francisco, a young woman I knew died after a five-year struggle with breast cancer. As I was getting dressed for the memorial service, I pinned a pink breast cancer ribbon on my black jacket. What I really wanted was a pin signifying that I am a survivor. Identifying the thousands of us who are survivors would make an impact, and could support efforts for funding cancer research and other programs. A butterfly came to mind: as we move through the experience of breast cancer, a metamorphosis is possible.

I wrote to Anna about my idea and shortly thereafter received a call from Gilda Zane, one of the Directors of the Foundation, telling me that they were creating a butterfly pin to honor cancer survivors. Through the magic of my serendipitous meeting with Anna Bulgari and the power of her commitment to all of us who are cancer survivors, the Butterfly Pin has become a beautiful reality. I will wear the pin as a symbol of hope, renewal, and survival: mine, my mother's and that of the thousands of others who have bravely confronted cancer.

by Jean Collier Hurley