Hamiltons happy to walk in the Relay for Life

Editor's note: This is one of a series of testimonials to be published leading up to the Angelina County Relay for Life May 2-3.

Bob and Jean Hamilton My name is Jean Hamilton (Mean Jean) and this is the story of a woman who has survived two different cancers. The doctors told me neither was related to the other. In October 1999, I had my yearly mammogram and was told there was a spot in my left breast that would have to be removed. The question was asked of me if anyone in my family had been diagnosed with cancer. The answer was NO! November of the same year Dr. Brooks did my surgery and removed the lump. I had 33 radiation treatments at the Arthur Temple Cancer Center in Lufkin.

With good doctors and a lot of prayers while taking treatment I was able to continue to work and harass my co-workers. My health was really good after having treatments and I continued to pass my "well woman" yearly physicals until going into my fifth year of remission and again in October of 2004 my Ob/Gyn was concerned about a spot she saw on an ultrasound. Again I was sent through extensive tests and cancer was found in my colon.

The Tuesday before Thanksgiving, Dr. Meyer performed surgery and luckily I did not have to have a colostomy. However, can you imagine having ice chips for Thanksgiving dinner? Well, I did and I was happy to have them! Many people have asked me how I survived this illness twice. It is God's wish that I am still here because both times he guided my doctors to the course of treatment I should be given.

My husband Bob was having problems with a sore throat. He had a CT scan and it showed a mass. He then had surgery to remove the lump, which was the size of a small peach, in January. Now I started really praying and talking to myself saying, "How could this be?" Both of us have cancer, but at different times and different parts of our bodies. He will undergo treatments of radiation and chemo at the same time. Again, we will beat this terrible illness because he will have the same doctors I had.

This year we will both walk the Survivors Lap at Relay for Life with a smile. We hope you will join us. Relay for Life will begin at 7 p.m. Friday, May 2, and end at 7 a.m. Saturday, May 3. For more information, please contact the American Cancer Society at 1-800- ACS-2345 or online at www.cancer.org.

To close this long speech I will say, "Ladies and gentlemen, please be very aggressive with your health care and see your doctor on a regular basis."

- Jean (Mean Jean) Hamilton