2015 Creative Cups

Donna Higgins

My Story

With the help of my wonderful sister in law, Loretta Siciliano, we created the black and white floral bra. It represents the positive and negative aspects of breast cancer. The white flowers represent the hope felt by the many who have been touched by this illness.

Last November I went for my yearly mammogram. I received a phone call telling me that I needed to come in for a sonogram. It showed an abnormality in the right breast. A core biopsy proved it cancerous.

Shocked and saddened I started the process of finding a surgeon. Dr. Ohea explained that a lumpectomy would be sufficient to treat the tumor followed by 33 daily radiation treatments. A sample of the tissue was sent out for an OnCoType test which would determine if I needed chemotherapy. The test came back borderline. With the oncologist’s advice I decided to undergo chemotherapy to give myself a better chance of a cure.
I underwent six chemotherapy cycles. I was fortunate to only have thinning hair and not lose it all.

I started the 33 treatment regimen of radiation at Stony Brook Hospital shortly after the chemo treatments were finished. Like with most women, there were adverse skin reactions. I finished treatments October of 2014.

I consider myself a breast cancer survivor. I know I will need to see my oncologist, surgeon and radiologist for many months. The worst is over. I pray I remain a survivor.