Pink Game

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the Bulldogs are going PINK on Oct 15th. Join us at the field as we raise funds to support a local family battling breast cancer.

Bulldogs Field – 71 Quaker Meetinghouse Rd, Sandwich

Games are at 10am, 11:30am & 1pm

Donations & proceeds from our PINK bake sale will go directly to a Bulldogs Mom who has spent the past year battling breast cancer.

Please read her story as shared by her closest family and friends. Let’s show this local family our support!

From her Significant Other:

“I really need to get this lump checked.” 

Those eight words changed our lives forever. A mammogram followed. Two days later a call from the Doctor. “You have stage two breast cancer that has spread to at least one lymph node.” 

The first surgery was scheduled to perform a double mastectomy. Four more surgeries have been performed, all within a years time. All of the cancer was removed with clear margins. It doesn’t end there. Now it’s chemo medication and a medication to induce early menopause, regular checkups, and a series of injections to keep the percentage of cancer returning as low as possible. 

As you could imagine, it took a few days for my partner to fully accept the fact that she in fact had breast cancer. She wondered why and how. There is no history of breast cancer anywhere in her family. Immediately she reached out to her Doctors to seek guidance. Luckily she was able to assemble the best team. Her oncologist, Dr. Hannah Yamin, general surgeon Dr. Siegert, and last but not least Dr. D’Achille her plastic and reconstructive surgeon. As I stated, surgery was scheduled and happened quickly. She was rightfully anxious and nervous. After a long 6hrs, she was in recovery. It went well, however the shock, reality and anger set in when she looked in the mirror days later. Having changed drains, I had seen the aftermath from the start. It was so different. There were expanders making space for future surgeries, off center, one quarter the size and a two really good size incisions. After a few days of severe pain, sleepless nights, and some “new normal “ strategies, things settled down. After two more surgeries due to expander problems, the wait for the final implants was on. Something to look forward to. Surgery day for the implants came and again it went well. Two more corrective surgeries and here we are. 

Now from a partner’s perspective.:. YOU MUST BE INVOLVED FROM THE BEGINNING. I understand as a guy, it will be tough, because it is. It certainly is for me. And by the beginning I mean encouraging and reminding your partner/spouse to check themselves and go for mammograms. Believe me, a small nothing can turn into a big bad something if they wait. Go to all of the appointments. Ask questions, do your research, stay informed, be patient, empathetic and sympathetic. I have found by doing this, you are really “going though it” with them as closely as you are able to. It’s time consuming, aggravating, sad, and quite literally nauseating at times. It’s work, at times feeling like a full time job. There are drains to empty and record the volume several times a day, help with bathroom and bathing, not to mention picking up the slack and void left in everyday tasks your partner did. Children, school, work, cooking, cleaning, wash, it’s all still there. 

Significant others, be involved because those “eight words” could change your life forever. 

My last bit of advice, subscribe to the premium channels. You’ll spend plenty of time watching the tube or your phone. We have seemed to reach the end of Netflix, game on Hulu!

From her Daughter:

On June 22 of 2022 my life changed forever. It was the day of my 8th grade graduation. We were going to get a dress for the graduation when I heard the 3 words “ I have cancer”. My heart dropped down to my feet. I was 14 years old and I had to hear my mom tell me that she is very sick but is luckily going to make it. When I first heard the words, I felt sick to my stomach. She had told me that she has stage 2 breast cancer, and it had already spread to one of her lymph nodes. I sat in the car next to my mom, crying, and catching my breath because the news scared me so much. Fast forward to July 12th. My moms first surgery. The night of my moms first surgery I was so anxious about my mom going under. I stayed up that whole night thinking of every worst case scenario possible. The whole day I had little to no things able to keep me distracted. Over the span of the past year my mom has had 5 surgeries. that is a lot for someone to go through. my mom is one of the strongest people i know. my mom didn’t do this on her own, my step dad helped us all so much he would take care of her when she couldn’t and i am beyond grateful to have him in my life.

From her Dear Friend:

When you’ve been friends with someone for a lifetime ( it’s actually like 12 ish years but it feels like a lifetime!), you both inevitably share a lot of small details. “I need to get to the dentist for that cavity, my car needs servicing next week, my elderly Mom needs help”. In my friends case, one that often popped up was “I have this weird thing going on with my boob, I know it’s cancer”. And as her dear friend I’d always say “shut up, it’s not, you’re crazy, let’s find a good seat at Starbucks”.

She has a sixth sense about EVERYTHING so I really don’t know why I ever doubted her. As her friend I wish I’d pushed for her to see a doctor sooner.  Or brought the Starbucks TO the mammogram appointment.  Mom life and its obligations have a way of sending any of Mom’s needs to the back burner. Hindsight is always 20/20 I guess.

Lo and behold it’s cancer. And she started on a long arduous journey that only someone as strong as her could ever endure. I will tell you hands down I could not have dealt with her struggles and setbacks with as much grit and grace as she did. Having the amazing support and the love of her boyfriend two unbelievably mature and responsible children, and like 12 pets 🤣. sure have helped…. But the drive to battle this demon has always come from my dear friend. I could not be more proud of her. I owe her the biggest Starbucks in all the world. 💗