Sandie is "just a normal kid of 55" who lives in Fogelsville, PA. Sandie enjoys reading, learning, laughing, and has a life-long addiction to bingo. She's a mother, grandmother, and cancer survivor.

Another thing that has gotten me through is stories shared with me by total strangers. I spoke to a woman who told me she has had three bouts with cancer over a 12 year period, and she was diagnosed at Stage 4. And so many others who have told me they are 15 year survivors, 11 year survivors, 30 year survivors. That is my hope. If they can do it, so can I.

Today, it’s two years later, and if I were to sit with a newly diagnosed patient, I would hope they could gain confidence and inspiration from my journey. What I want them to know, and what I want them to see is, I have been through two rounds of chemo and one round of radiation. I am not frail; I am not weak; I am not withering away. Cancer can be tolerable. Cancer is not the end, it’s a beginning.

What advice would you give a newly diagnosed patient?

When I first heard my diagnosis of cancer, I automatically went into a depression. I didn’t consciously tell myself that I was depressed, it just happened naturally, without any thought or pretense.

Sandie is "just a normal kid of 55" who lives in Fogelsville, PA. Sandie enjoys reading, learning, laughing, and has a life-long addiction to bingo. She's a mother, grandmother, and cancer survivor.

Crazy thoughts went through my head, including funeral arrangements. When I die, are they going to dress me the way I want to be dressed for eternity? Will they play the music that I would prefer at my services? If they are going to cry over me when I’m gone, why aren’t they calling me and expressing their concern while I’m still here? I really felt alone.

But there were phone calls from terrific people that really helped me through this.

A woman I work with suggested I have my hair cut short and close to my head so it’s not so traumatic when it starts falling out. Another friend of mine had her cousin call me. I didn’t even know this lady, but we shared a disease and we shared a doctor. She explained what she had been through, and how the medication made her feel, and how she needed to change her diet in order to cope with it. It was practical advice that I really needed. Another woman taught me about the power of prayer. Three simple phone calls, but oh so powerful.

Whose call made a difference for you?

Sandie is "just a normal kid of 55" who lives in Fogelsville, PA. Sandie enjoys reading, learning, laughing, and has a life-long addiction to bingo. She's a mother, grandmother, and cancer survivor.

I believe there is a positive in every negative. For me, the negative is cancer, but I have experienced a lot of positives.

My doctor and his entire staff of nurses – they genuinely care about their patients, and I, for one, truly appreciate that.

The nursing staff at the Infusion Center – angels, pure angels, their care and compassion go above and beyond their responsibility.

My Relay For Life family – it makes my heart smile to be with these survivors and supporters with such a PASSION for supporting cancer patients, celebrating survivors, and reaching for a cure for all cancers.

How about you – what’s positive in your life?

Sherri lives with her loving husband, Tom, in Bethlehem, PA. She enjoys spending time in the garden and starting her own plants from seeds. She also enjoys spending time traveling with her husband, spending time with family and friends, and going to the local baseball team games.

Since I was first diagnosed with cancer, I have to say that it has obviously changed my life in many ways. The physical changes were expected. However, this experience has helped me look at life in a totally different way.

The only way that I have gotten through this was keeping a positive attitude. I have to thank my loving husband, family, and all our friends who are family to us. I have relied on my faith as well which has kept me grounded and secure. I have been blessed with a wonderful doctor and his staff which have been most helpful.

I find that keeping a sense of humor helps a lot. When I first lost my hair, the hardest part was when people would stare at me. After a while, I would learn to make jokes by telling them that I worked as a living mannequin at the local department store. It made me laugh, and it was a polite way to remind them not to stare at someone who just lost her hair to chemo.

Another way to keep your spirits up is to always have something to look forward to, even if its promising yourself to watch your favorite show or read your favorite book. Surround yourself with family and friends who are positive and treat yourself to some fun time, you deserve it.

What do you do to keep your spirits up?

Sandie is "just a normal kid of 55" who lives in Fogelsville, PA. Sandie enjoys reading, learning, laughing, and has a life-long addiction to bingo. She's a mother, grandmother, and cancer survivor.

Cancer. This is one word no one wants to hear from their doctor — I know I didn’t. I felt I was “above” cancer. I learned very quickly this is something I don’t have control over, but I don’t want cancer to win. So, I get my back up and make a stand against it.

I also know that this is a fight I cannot fight alone, so I put my trust in my doctor and my faith in God. And I surround myself with as many people as I can — some positive, some negative — and I listen and I learn.

Who makes up your support system? Who do you wish you had had on the team from the beginning, but didn’t?

I was diagnosed with Stage 4 ovarian cancer in July 2008.  I really didn’t have any symptoms until right before I was diagnosed.  My cancer had spread from my ovaries to my bowels, omentum, diaphragm and onto my lungs.  I had a complete hysterectomy, debulking procedure, and a  colostomy.

Sherri lives with her loving husband, Tom, in Bethlehem, PA. She enjoys spending time in the garden and starting her own plants from seeds. She also enjoys spending time traveling with her husband, spending time with family and friends, and going to the local baseball team games.

After my surgery, I had several courses of chemotherapy. Over the last several years, I have had several courses of chemotherapy as needed to keep my cancer maintained. In 2009, I had my colostomy reversed. Over the next year, I developed a fistula on my ureter and got repeated urinary tract infections and fevers and spent quite a bit of time in the hospital.  In 2010, I had surgery to fix this problem.  I had a resection of my ureter with a bowel resection. My doctor used part of my bowel and rebuilt my ureter.

Since that time, my cancer has spread into my lungs and my upper spine, and I was having difficulty breathing since my lungs began to collect fluid. I had to sleep downstairs in a hospital bed and use oxygen and use a wheelchair for long distances. I had bilateral catheters put into my lungs in order to drain them at home on an as needed basis.

This has given me some freedom back. At the present time, I am receiving chemotherapy and monthly injections to help with the disease in the spinal column. Thanks to the good Lord and my wonderful doctor, I continue enjoying life and travel when I can. I have learned that cancer is a chronic disease and becomes a lifestyle. It is up to the indvidual how we choose to live it.