Michelle Marks

I am originally from Northglenn, Colorado. Northglenn is about 10 miles north of Denver. I am 39 years old. I am a CAD Designer (computer drafting) for Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc. I have been with this firm for 13 years. I now live in Cincinnati, Ohio. I have been in Cincinnati about 2 years. I moved to Cincinnati from Pittsburgh. I lived in Pittsburgh for 16.5 years.

September 1996 I found a lump in my left breast while doing a self-exam. I went to my doctor and he immediately sent me for a mammogram and ultrasound. Nothing showed up on the mammogram, but in the ultrasound the mass was clearly viable. The doctor did a needle aspiration to be sure what we were seeing was cancerous. I got he results a week latter. Everything was thrown in to high gear. I had a lumpectomy and three stage III tumors were removed. The largest one was about 3cm. The following week I had the auxillary node dissection done. I had 8 of 13 lymph nodes involved. I underwent four treatments of chemo and six weeks of radiation. I met Holly that summer when she came to Pittsburgh for a weekend clinic. I was not in the boats that were being coached, but I offered to help if they needed anything. I drove the launch and filled in when someone couldn’t row. I just wanted to soak up the knowledge. I went to Row As One camp and Masters Nationals that summer. I made it in to the Row As One boat for the Head of the Charles in the fall. I had to prove to myself that I was well again.

June 2000 I had just moved to Cincinnati and I was trying to set up a group of doctors to continue my routine checkups with. I was doing my lymph massage and I discovered a mass in my right breast. I was in total shock. Lucky for me I had an appointment to see a new doctor the next day. The doctor confirmed there was a mass and sent me to get a mammogram and ultrasound right away. The mass did show up on the mammogram this time. I switched to a team of breast surgeons to continue with my case. I had conflicting answers on the size of my tumor, any where from 3cm to 7cm. I had several opinions before I made a decision what to do. My oncologist was encouraging me to have a bi-lateral mastectomy. This is not what I wanted to hear. When I got all the opinions, everyone agreed that the bi-lateral mastectomy was my best option, so I would not have to go through this again. I wanted to row in the 1 in 9 boat. I had my game plan set so when I came back from Boston I would start my chemo treatments. I had 4 rounds of chemo. I took one month to recuperate then I had the mastectomy, sentinel node and reconstruction. I had no lymph nodes involved this time. I healed for about a month. I started my six weeks of radiation. I healed for about a month again and then started the last four-chemo treatments. I had to row in the Head of the Charles in 2001 with my Cincinnati crew so I put off my final implants until I got home from the race. I got home on Monday and on Thursday I had the implants put in. I am high risk for ovarian cancer, so in November I had a total hysterectomy. I am doing great now. The friends that I have made through rowing are incredible! I am very glad to be rowing in this boat again!!