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30-39
Vivica
breast cancer
stage three

My name is Vivica Castro, I am 32 years old. I am a mother of two children, son 9 and daughter 6. I am a military wife. I was visiting family in Texas when I found a lump in my right breast. I was 27 years old. When I returned home (Alaska) I went to have it checked out. Breast exam was not conclusive. Had mammograms done and they too were inconclusive. Had biopsies. CANCER. I had a mastectomy on the right breast and lymph nodes removed. I started chemotherapy soon after. I signed up for a protocol treatment, adriamycinand cytoxan for 4 cycles and then 4 cycles of taxol. I was also started on tamoxifen, to be taken for five years. After my chemotherapy was over I started radiation treatment. In Oct. 97 I had breast reconstruction. I had I tram flap done. A year later I had the nipple reconstructed. I did have a scare with a lump found in my left breast, but it was nothing. After a year out of chemotherapy I was asked by The American Cancer Society to become a volunteer for The Reach To Recovery Program. I have participated in The Relay for Life and The Alaska Run for Women events for 4 years. Most of my family and my cancer family have helped me every step of the way. We are due to leave Alaska for our next base soon, it is hard for me because of my cancer family. I don't want to say good bye.

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