They're raising spirits, daily

A new calendar featuring breast cancer survivors is making waves, but in a thoroughly positive way.

By JODIE TILLMAN, Times Staff Writer
Published October 14, 2007

Sandra Werner, former Pasco County commissioner and cancer survivor, is the October model for the Inspiration 2008 calendar.
	[Special to the Times]

ADVERTISEMENT [Special to the Times] Breast cancer survivor Rosa Coppotelli is April's model for the calendar. "I love who I am," she says.

As she put together a calendar to benefit breast cancer research, Karen Brink didn't have any trouble settling on a one-word theme:

Inspiration.

The Inspiration 2008 calendar features photographs of 11 women and one man -- all local residents who have survived breast cancer. The photographs capture many of the models in intimate and happy moments, which sends a message, said Brink.

"It makes you realize it can happen to any of us, and that life does go on," said Brink, office manager at the Florida Cancer Institute in New Port Richey.

Proceeds from the calendar sales will go to Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, a program of the American Cancer Society that raises money for research and education.

Here's what three of the models had to say about their disease, their decision to pose for the calendar and their future.

Sandra Werner, 69, of New Port Richey. A lifelong Pasco resident and former county commissioner, she is the widow of Gene Werner, a prominent Pasco developer.

She was first diagnosed in June 2005 and had a mastectomy. Cancer was found in the other breast in July 2007. She had a second mastectomy and will soon start another round of chemotherapy.

"I was just getting to where I was feeling like I could conquer the world again. I took a couple of trips in April and in June and then I came back home and I was just doing a self-examination and I found a lump and it felt just exactly like the one that had been over here. That was July 3. So I immediately called up and got an appointment with the oncologist. I'd had tests. I'd had a mammogram in October 2006. And nothing showed anything. (The doctor) sent me immediately to get a mammogram and a sonogram, and they both proved there was a mass there."

On posing for the calendar: "I got to thinking about it and said 'Sure, why not?' I've lost my modesty so many years ago. I've had four children and I don't know how many operations and in and out of the hospital a thousand times.

"I liked the picture. I wasn't embarrassed or anything. I felt proud to let women know they don't have to be withdrawn. I guess I'm the least withdrawn woman you'd want to meet. I've been like that all my life. I just feel it's good to let women and men know they don't have to lose their sexuality, their thoughts of their own self.

"The night before my first surgery, I went out and got a bottle of Dom Perignon. I cooked a big roast. And I had all my kids over. We were all around the table and I said 'If anything happens tomorrow unforeseen please know that I've had a good life and I want you to be carrying it on. Life will go on for you.' And we all had a glass of Dom Perignon, which isn't worth it (laugh), but I just gave them a little talking to and told them 'Don't mourn me. Celebrate my life. Because I've had a good life.' I try to live one day at a time. I wake up in the morning and say, 'OK, let's see what's going on today.' "

Rosa Coppotelli, 52, of New Port Richey. She is a former deli owner, waitress and banquet organizer and has been married for eight years to Michael. She was diagnosed in February 2006 and has a mastectomy. She's going through genetic testing at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute and may consider having the other breast removed as a preventive measure.

"Losing my hair was the hardest part. I felt like I'm not a woman. I felt depressed, suicidal. But as I healed, I would look into the mirror and say 'I'm still Rosa.' I'm a very sexy woman. Even bald and with one breast. I love who I am. I want the women to feel that without a breast we are still sexy. I play date night with my husband. I'll dress up romantically, light candles, we'll dance. It's so beautiful.

"The word cancer, it can feel like death row. You don't look at it as a disease, but as a death sentence. That's what you go through at first. But every day is now a different thought. There's not a day that goes by that I don't think 'cancer,' and I don't think 'death.' I'll get through it, but I still have those thoughts. Before I got sick I never did."

Fred Mieser, 68, of Trinity. Retired as a civilian employee of the Coast Guard, he is married to Nancy. He was diagnosed with breast cancer in April 2006 and had a mastectomy.

"I had basal cell carcinoma (skin cancer) on the back of my neck and my shoulder here. I went in (to the dermatologist's office). And when he saw my nipple, he didn't quite like it. He took a biopsy of it and it came back positive. It was kind of inverted and crusty. Thank God he saw it.

"I knew that men could get breast cancer. But it's always 'It could never happen to me.' But it did."

On losing a breast: "For me, I don't think it bothered me. I wasn't ashamed of it. I swim with the kids and if somebody comes over and they don't like it, well, too bad."

On being asked to pose for the calendar: "I said absolutely. We need to get the word out to the men, save a life or two. There's nothing to be ashamed of. People need to see what it's really like. It's not all that bad.

"It seems there are more people starting to realize that men can get it. There's another fellow in the neighborhood that has breast cancer and we talk a lot. Plus I've become familiar with a lot of ladies in the area who have breast cancer and we discussed a lot of things while I was going through chemo. We compared notes.

"You get lethargic and lazy and think 'I just don't want to do it.' At times I'd get depressed. I had my moods. I don't know if it was the medication or because I had breast cancer or just couldn't do the things I used to do. That gets upsetting. But for the most part, you get your mind positive. And I'm back in that state after the period I went through. We just this morning did some work in the backyard."

Jodie Tillman can be reached at jtillman@sptimes.com or (727) 869-6247.

Help inspire others
To purchase a $12 calendar, contact Karen Brink at the Florida Cancer Institute. Her e-mail is karen.brink@usoncology.com and phone number is (727) 842-8411, ext. 150.

[Last modified October 13, 2007, 22:24:04]