Cancer survivors assure community, each other that their lives will go on.
They won’t let cancer keep them down

09/10/2007
By Joseph A. Wenzel IV
Record-Journal staff

MERIDEN — Kim Marinelli was diagnosed with breast cancer 15 months ago, but that did not stop her from going to work, laughing, playing the piano or even learning how to speak French.
Marinelli, of Wallingford, was one of about 250 people present at the fifth annual Cancer Survivor event at Mid State Medical Center. The event started in the Mid State cafeteria in 2003 with 40 people.
Marinelli was not only one of speakers at the event, but more importantly, she is a survivor.
“It’s a celebration of life,” said Mid State Medical Center spokeswoman Pamela Cretella.
In June 2006, Marinelli was giving herself an examination when she noticed a lump on one of her breasts.
“It was the size of a golf ball,” she said. But, according to Mid State breast cancer coordinator Kathy Clements, the cancer was “aggressive” and the lump tripled in size. In a month, the lump was three inches long.
In July, Marinelli, 49, started chemotherapy, which continued until December. In December, she had surgery to remove the lump and reconstructive surgery followed that. The surgeries were followed by radiation from February to April.
“No one treated me any different,” she said, during or after treatment.
All these treatments wore on Marinelli’s body, not her spirit and her personality. She used support from family, friends (some she had not talked to since high school) and the caregivers at the medical center to continue to fight back. At the event, Mid State doctors tried their best to express their goodwill.
“If I can put a smile on one person’s face, it makes it all worthwhile,” said Dr. Rajani Nadkarni, who had the day off. “We come her not as physicians, but we come as their friends. My goal is for them to focus on the present. I enjoy seeing people outside of the sterile environment.”
Dr. Gary F. Tansino agreed.
“I would rather see them here (at the event) than the hospital,” he said. “They have to live within certain expectations. … You have to give people hope. You have to encourage people when they are vulnerable.”
As the treatments wore on, Marinelli, who works for an insurance company and worked while having cancer, continued on by using humor and her faith in God, but there were not many options available for her.
“What alternative did I have?” she said. “It was my cross to bear.”
After the pain and hardships, Marinelli used her humor again, and named her tumor “Rue.” She said it would “rue the day that it took up residence on her.”
“No matter what kind of cancer, it will change your life,” Clements said.
But, Marinelli looks at the disease as a “blessing.” The disease has caused her to create a “life list” and on that list is learning the piano and French. She had just returned from rafting and hiking the Grand Canyon and Sunday, she even got on her husband’s Harley Davidson Motorcycle for the first time.
The experience has caused her “not to wait for answers” and “make decisions a lot quicker.” But, the biggest effect may have been on those around her.
‘No patient goes through this alone,” Clements said. “It’s important for people to see you can survive it. It (cancer) affects everyone around them … the whole community.”
Marinelli’s experience “opened the eyes” of her family, friends and co-workers. She said many of them started to give themselves self-examinations and have mammograms done. She said often at work, her co- workers would notice her not complaining and think twice about their own problems.
Barabara Mouthrop, a sixyear breast cancer survivor, also used her disease to help others with cancer. She took two treatments offered at the medical center: Pilates and Focus on Healing: Dance and Movement.
“A lot of people don’t know about it,” Mouthrop said. “We are trying to get the word out.”
She said dance and movement helps people with their range of motion and Pilates is a “good exercise” to build endurance and strength. She added the people in the class help keep spirits up by laughing together and using playful teasing.
“It’s a good group to keep you going,” she said.

To see photos go to myrecordjournal.com