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Show j by Corey W. Grua Public Info. Chairman, I LlJIntah Co. Unit Amer Cancer SccJ-' Making good from bad QUESTION : How does a person learn to cope with cancer? ANSWER: Let me give you a special example right here in Utah. Her name is Dawn Bain, one of the most active ACS volunteers in the state. Dawn is also the state public information chairperson so I was able to receive instructions in-structions about my role in our local chapter from her last fall. I was impressed by her special spirit, a spirit that did a good job of inspiring me and the other public information workers of Utah. What I did not know at the time of our workshops was that Dawn is currently fighting cancer not only as a volunteer but in her own life as well. The 42-year-old Farmington woman began her fight against cancer in 1973 when a breast was removed. "Cancer is a curable disease. Unlike other dread diseases, such as muscular dystrophy and multiple sclerosis that people must learn to live with, detected early (and that's the key), cancer can be cured," she says. Dawn Bain's cancer continued to grow, requiring that the other breast be removed and then in other operations, her ovaries and adrenal glands. Carolyn Monson, a Salt Lake Tribune writer, records this story of how this woman copes with her many operations: opera-tions: "On one trip we had made with friends, we decided to stop off at the Homestead unexpectedly. Everyone wanted to swim and none had swimming swimm-ing suits. Suits could be rented. "The other women decided against swimming if I wouldn't. I decided that what we all wanted was a good time and nothing else really mattered. "I rented one of the funny suits, crossed my arms in front of me and hurried and got in the water. Nobody - really cared how I looked and we all had a wonderful time. "So many women are worried about how their husbands will feel about them without a breast. For Walter and me, that was never a problem. "But I think a lot of it has to do with how a woman feels atxiut herself. He can help build that self-confidence, but the woman needs to know and feel her own self-worth." The active life continues to be a part of the Bain family. Dawn joins them in their skiing, hiking, camping, traveling and attendance at the symphony and ballet. 1 "I'm determined not to let cancer interfere in-terfere with what we like to do." Thanks for the lesson. Dawn! Also, good luck to the participants on the 5-day-stop smoking plan. We appreciate ap-preciate the efforts of our local Seventh-day Adventist Church in helping help-ing to prevent cancer through their program. |