Five years ago Nancy Rackear was a cancer caregiver
who received
her own cancer diagnosis. Now after her
own battle, Nancy is fighting
once again-this time as an
advocate and a fundraiser.
After being the primary caregiver for her mother who
passed away in 2001 from cancer, Florida resident
Nancy threw herself into her work. Exhausted and
worn, Nancy finally took some time for herself and
scheduled a routine check-up she had been postponing.
Following her sister's suggestion, she requested a battery
of tests and a chest x-ray. Her doctor was hesitant
to prescribe the test, because it was not typically covered
by insurance. In addition, she felt that as a nonsmoker,
Nancy was "not at risk." However, only a few
minutes after she had the x-ray taken, her doctor called
to tell her what the x-ray revealed.
Nancy heard the urgency in her doctor's voice. Immediately
she made follow up appointments and underwent
a series of tests. The initial reading of the PET scan
indicated that the disease had spread to her lymph nodes.
This September will mark five years since Nancy's surgery.
Getting through the shock and challenges she faced took
her a long time. As she began to conduct research on the
internet, Nancy found that there are many non-smokers
who share her diagnosis. Knowing that she has peers
has helped her cope with the disease and its impact on
her everyday life. Now, emotionally and physically able,
Nancy wants to speak out as a representative for those
who can't speak for themselves. "I celebrate every day
that I wake up feeling good," says Nancy.
To that end, Nancy has partnered with Joan's Legacy to raise
local awareness and money in Florida so that those who are
impacted by a lung cancer diagnosis will not feel as
alone as she once did.
