About : Profiles

Meet Patty Vogt, 52-year-old breast cancer survivor
Married with two sons, ages 13 & 15

Date of Diagnosis:
May, 2005

Treatment:
Lumpectomy, radiation therapy, Tamoxifen

Cancer was difficult because:
I thought I was in good shape, so after my diagnosis, I felt my body betrayed me. I was afraid of dying and I worried about being here for my boys and to see them grow up.

Good things to come out of my illness:
I’m healthier and happier than I’ve ever been. Now I want to be in the best shape I can possibly be in so that if cancer comes back, I’ll be strong and able to deal with it.

Most important advice for someone diagnosed with cancer:
1) If someone starts to tell you a story about someone else who had cancer, (especially when you are newly diagnosed) ask if it has a happy ending. If it doesn’t, tell them to stop.
2) Try to learn as much about the disease as possible through your healthcare professionals. Visit the Internet, but only reputable sites, because there is a lot of untrue information out there.
3) Join MoveThroughCancer!!

Why I joined MoveThroughCancer:
To learn about exercise. I don’t sit around talking about making myself stronger and healthier. I’m actually doing something about it.

How MoveThroughCancer changed my life:
When I tried to get back into running after treatment, I kept pulling muscles. MTC has taught me so much about exercise, warm-ups, stretching and injury prevention. Now I’m not reinjuring myself and my self-esteem and self-confidence have soared. Marion is incredible with a great sense of humor and makes the group fun. I walk, run and cycle now. Other people in MTC have gone through much more and are doing so well – they are very inspirational to me!