Race City: Estero, Florida
Catherine's Story:
Catherine Marsh moved from New York State to Fort Myers June 1961 when she was 47 years old. At that time, she was married to Walter Marsh (deceased July 2004) and the mother of four children, the youngest in junior high school.
When she arrived in Fort Myers, Catherine did not feel well. Exhausted, she thought she was depressed by the move or worn out by the heat. At the time, she did not know anything about self examination.
Friends recommended she see Dr. Roger Scott, who discovered a lump in her left breast and immediately scheduled a radical mastectomy for the very next week at Lee Memorial Hospital on Cleveland Avenue.
But Catherine was not the only one in her family to be afflicted by breast cancer. Catherine's mother, Kathleen Haggerty was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1972 at the age of 82. Kathleen also had a radical mastectomy, and survived, dying two years later of natural causes.
In January 1999, Catherine's youngest daughter, Jane, was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer (IBC), a rare but very aggressive form of the disease. Jane too had a radical mastectomy, along with chemotherapy and radiation treatments. However, Catherine's worst fears were confirmed when the cancer metastasized to Jane's liver and she passed away in April 2001.
Needless to say, Catherine and her entire family are aware of the ever intensifying need to raise funds and awareness to help stop this cancer now. Ever her youngest great-grandchild, two-year old Faith Ji-Rong Young, has joined the effort with the help of her parents in issuing the following challenge to her family members:
"I'm taking a stand in the fight to end breast cancer forever and invite you to join me. On Saturday, March 15, 2008, I'll be participating in the Southwest Florida Komen Race for the Cure®, raising much needed funds for breast cancer education, screening and treatment programs in our local community, as well as support for the national search for a cure. Breast cancer remains the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women, with one-in-seven women confronting the disease in her lifetime. It's time we put an end to this disease forever. My great-grandmother, Catherine Marsh, of 94 years young is a 48-year survivor! Please help me as well as my parents Mike & Christine to honor her as much as we can! I challenge all my Great Grandma's family (kids, grandkids, great grandkids) to support such a wonderful cause and help me reach my goal! Won't you join me?
Thank you so much for your time and support in the fight against breast cancer! Every step counts!"
When Catherine heard about the challenge, she decided to join the team and participate as a survivor. This is the second time she and her family participated in a public event. On the weekend of her 90th birthday celebration in 2003, the entire family walked in a Fort Myers event. She still has the banner they carried with everyone's name on it.
Catherine is very active for her age. She is adamant in communicating the extreme importance of early detection and yearly mammograms. She is amazed at the progress that has been made in the last 40 plus years, but still believes we need to do more!
