Keep pushing forward: How Nancy Lenihan defeated breast cancer
“So my general practitioner had me come in, and he’s the one who told me. And with that, for some reason, I was like, ‘OK. What do we do next?’ I was not freaking out or anything.”
Saying two-time breast cancer survivor Nancy Lenihan has nerves of steel is the understatement of the century. Upon learning about her first breast cancer diagnosis in 1996, the Sunnyvale-raised mother of three received the news in stride and immediately focused her attention on taking the steps necessary for recovery.
A graduate of Camden High School in San Jose, Nancy has been a successful office manager for a Bay Area-based landscaping company for 13 years. But back in 1996, everything changed for the Lenihan family.
“My first initial reaction was fear,” said daughter Nicole Lenihan Nevin when she initially learned of her mother’s diagnosis. “I was scared for my mom. I was scared for my family. When you hear the word ‘cancer’ you automatically think of death.”
A lumpectomy and six weeks of radiation were employed to treat the disease. With mouths to feed, Nancy had no choice but to continue working throughout the ordeal, a testament to the mother’s love for her children. Following a month and a half of treatment, she received a clean bill of health.
“Everything was fine. Until 1998.”
She discovered a lump again, but this time it was a completely different cancer. “It wasn’t related to the first one. I’d tell you what it was, but I can’t remember. With that kind of stuff I just move along.”
Her second fight with breast cancer was treated with a mastectomy and chemotherapy, the latter of which was the most frightening aspect of the entire episode.
“I was terrified of that. I wasn’t scared of the surgery, and I wasn’t really that upset about the mastectomy. It is what it is, but the chemo I just couldn’t wrap my mind around that. It was the unknown.
And as it turns out it was kind of gross, but not
nearly as bad as I thought it would be.”
Although certain smells or tastes were terribly unpleasant, she continued to push forward. “What other choice do you have? Honestly, when you’re raising a family, you do what you have to do. I’m so glad I’m done with that.”
When asked to clarify if she was happier to be done with cancer treatment or raising teenagers, she joked and laughed heartily, “Raising teenagers!”
Another complex maze to navigate throughout the course of breast cancer surgeries and treatments were the friends and family members who felt powerless and unsure of how to help. For those trapped in what felt like the never-ending labyrinth of cancer, both mother and daughter offered their unique perspectives.
“Don’t be afraid to ask questions and talk about it,” said the two-time cancer conqueror. “For me I was like, ‘Sure, what do you want to know?’ So that would actually ease their minds a little bit because then they would know and not be guessing.”
Now a mother of two daughters, Nicole chimed in, “The only thing you can do is be there, and try really hard to laugh and make memories. It helps ease the pain if only for a moment. At the end of the day, though, the person who’s going down this tough road needs family and friends more than ever.”
According to the American Cancer Society, there are 3.1 million breast cancer survivors in the United States today. For the 1 in 8 women who are at risk of having invasive breast cancer during their lifetime — many of whom will undergo body-altering surgeries — Nancy advised, “I know that having a mastectomy isn’t fun, but just try not to dwell on it and do what you have to do and move on.”
While she conceded this is easier said than done, the inspirational mother, grandmother and friend used this mantra to defeat the disease and has been cancer-free for nearly two decades.
For women currently dealing with breast cancer, Nancy offered these final words.
“Like I said before, just try not to dwell on it. Find out what’s happening even if it’s not good news. You’ll feel so much better.”