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By Rachel Gobep, Story330
For Krissie Moore, her journey through breast cancer was a the “deepest, darkest foggy day” for a year and a half.
“I was walking through that fog [not knowing] what was in front of me,” she said. “I knew someday there’d be a rainbow at the end.”
Moore, 48, of Liberty Township found the rainbow in 2015, when she learned she was cancer free.
When she was diagnosed, it was an exciting time in Moore’s life.
The day before Moore’s son graduated from high school, she felt a lump in her breast while taking a shower. But while she didn’t want to deal with it, something in the back of her head told her to take care of it.
Moore said she made an appointment at the doctor’s office, and they told her it was probably nothing because she was so young, but to get it checked.
She immediately scheduled an appointment at the Joanie Abdu Comprehensive Breast Care Center, and she was in there two days later.
Moore said when she was told she needed a biopsy, she wanted to leave immediately.
“At that point, everything is a blur,” she said.
The staff at JACBCC told her they did not feel comfortable letting her leave. Moore said that they knew she had cancer. The biopsy would see what kind of cancer it was. She was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer. In just five days, it had spread to her lymph nodes.
Her treatment started within a week. She believes JACBCC saved her life.
“There was no waiting game. It was immediate … They take such good care of you,” Moore said.
Telling her children of her diagnosis was very hard.
“I tried to be strong in front of them. I never cried in front of my children. If I had to cry, I went into my own room or the bathroom,” she said.
Moore said it became her “new normal.”
“They get used to seeing mom sick, and you just put on a brave face and tell them that you’re going to be okay … They persevered through it, and they’re a lot stronger for it,” she said.
She underwent 15 months of chemotherapy, six weeks of radiation and multiple surgeries.
Moore said she had a difficult time emotionally with her diagnosis. But after she was cancer free, she wanted to share her story to help other women.
“You have to not only be smart and be your own advocate, but you have to make sure you’re going to the right places to get the care that you need,” she said.
If it wasn’t for her diagnosis, Moore would have never been able to experience things she’s passionate about – such as walking dogs at Animal Charity.
“It made me want to do it for them. It took me out of the picture,” she said.
The first time she went, she could only walk one dog for about a half a block. After a while as she healed, she would walk every dog in the kennel around the block twice.
She became active in Panerathon in 2015. She said it’s emotional and overwhelming for survivors.
“You just look around and you know that there are other women there who have been through what you’ve been through. You’re so happy to see them. You’re happy to learn their stories.”