I was diagnosed on December 29, 1989 at the age of 39.

Helen

I was seen by my family Doctor in 1989. He said I had a cyst, and it was nothing. A month later my breast was swollen and painful and full of hard ridges.

I went to see a surgeon, and he said I had mastitis and gave me antibiotics and said to come back in 2 days. Then he did a biopsy which was positive.

I then went in for surgery. I had full blown ibc with 12 positive lymph nodes. The next day I had a radical mastectomy.

4 years later I had another mastectomy of my own choice because of calcifications in my mammogram.

There are alot of things also that have happened, but it's been 15 years, and I'm still cancer free - so, yes, there is hope for us.

My doctor gave me 2 years at the most.

Let's keep hanging on.

Please click on the title of the song in order to hear the music.

I Hope You Dance

Click on the vocal file of this song, but it takes longer to download.

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder
You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger
May you never take one single breath for granted
God forbid love ever leaves you empty handed

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

I hope you dance

I hope you dance

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Living might mean taking chances, but they're worth taking
Lovin' might be a mistake, but it's worth making

Don't let some hell bent heart leave you bitter
When you come close to selling out, Reconsider
Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

I hope you dance
(Time is a wheel in constant motion, always)

I hope you dance
(Rolling us along)

I hope you dance
(Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder)

I hope you dance
(Where those years have gone)

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

Daaaaaaaaance

I hope you dance

I hope you dance
(Time is a wheel in constant motion, always)

I hope you dance
(Rolling us along)

I hope you dance
(Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder)

I hope you dance
(Where those years have gone)

Dance
Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder

Dance
Where those years have gone

* * * * * * * * *

Recorded by Lee Ann Womack
Written by Mark Sanders and Tia Sillers
Backup vocals by Sons of the Desert