It’s a sisterhood, this breast cancer thing. We’re all survivors. If you’re ever in a restaurant and you see a group of women chatting and laughing, while openly pointing out something on their breasts, it may be The Merry Crazies, our non-traditional support group. We’re all about meeting up for open, frank discussion over good food and a cocktail or two. We make it fun. Our leader, Betsy announces milestones and we celebrate. I mean where else could you hear, “Diane gets her nipples put on next Wednesday,” or “Elaina gets her aureolas tattooed next week,” or “Oh! look at you! You have hair!” followed by polite applause. This person has so many CC’s in her expanders while another only has that many CC’s in hers. One still has pain; another assures her it won’t last. All but two of us have had mastectomies and they are quite proud of their newly-fashioned boobs. We’ve even been known to step into the ladies room for the lifting of shirts, our particular brand of show and tell. We have a traveling, plastic boob that goes home with the first person to touch her own breast to demonstrate her point while talking. The absolute best is when we have the opportunity to cheer for another year of survivorship for someone.

It is with mixed emotions that we welcome new members. My old neighbor and friend Kathy joined our group a two months ago, and as I welcomed her to the group, I said “I’m glad you’re here, but I’m not glad you’re here.” Tears.

Joined together by the fight against our disease, and by our fearless leader, Betsy, we are in various states of treatment and survivorship. We enjoy the camaraderie, but are not consumed by cancer. Conversely, cancer has awakened us to the preciousness of life and the importance of living every day to the fullest. We are taking cruises, going back to school, taking up photography, shucking old careers, starting new ones, and planning parties. Big parties with pink everything and lots of music and dancing! We’ve all done the big face-off with a life threatening disease and won, but more importantly, together, we’re all embracing life.

We’re survivors.

We’re winners!