She had the world on a string. Just out of college with a degree in electrical engineering in hand, the energetic, bright and beautiful 24-year-old was heading to St. Louis for her new job at prestigious McDonnell Douglas.
 
A short year later, fate would cut that string and her world would come crashing down.

“I know it sounds dumb, but even though I had a lump in my breast, I didn’t believe it could really be Cancer,” said Apex resident Chelsea Gibbs, who was diagnosed with two stage one tumors in her right breast in 1995.

“My doctor’s nurse was a grandmotherly type, and even with a concerned look on her face, I still don’t pick up the signal that something was wrong.”

Gibbs was in a speechless state of shock as her physician explained the news. At 25, the concept was foreign and so far off the radar for her.

 
“When I got home I had a true temper tantrum, throwing things and trying to figure out how I would tell my mother and my boyfriend, who moved with me after dating only a year,” Gibbs said. “I couldn’t deal with it, so I didn’t know how he would being two years younger than me.”

After a few tears, the boyfriend, Ray Gibbs, now her husband, stepped up with endless support.

Gibbs underwent a course of treatment that included a lumpectomy, physical therapy, radiation, and hormone therapy.

“Of course, there was a lot of pain after the surgery,” she said. “I had to sleep on the couch only on my left side. Showering was difficult and I had no use of my right arm.”

Gibbs was able to tolerate the radiation series, five days a week for six weeks, quite well.

“It was tiring and drained my energy, but I didn’t get sick. My skin was discolored to a few shades darker on that side. And one concern I had was covering the marker lines so they didn’t show while wearing a maid of honor dress.”

Gibbs returned to work about a month after surgery. She did have a few setbacks, however. She could not stretch out her arm, so she had to undergo five weeks of physical therapy. Some numbness and tingling remain in the area today. In addition, the hormone drug she was taking, Tamoxisen, was simulating menopausal symptoms including night sweats and sleeping problems.

“You never completely go back to normal; you establish a new normal,” said Gibbs. “That can be a turning point in your life and one of its most wonderful experiences. It really gets better on the other side because you find out how strong you are and become part of a sisterhood of friends.”

Today, cancer-free for 10 years, Gibbs is the proud mother of 8-month-old Kiran, a pregnancy she was not sure would ever take place after what her body went through. In addition, she is a board member for the Susan G. Komen breast cancer Foundation NC Triangle Affiliate, and works on its sponsorship committee for Race for the Cure. She participates in several foundation events, including the Panera Bread project.

To increase breast cancer awareness, the Beaver Creek Panera Bread Bakery-Cafe in Apex, along with 10 other Panera Bread Cafes in the Triangle, is partnering with WakeMed, Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation NC Triangle Affiliate, and Mary Kay Cosmetics to host several “In the Pink” campaign events.

Throughout the month of October, Breast Cancer Awareness month, the cafes will feature pink ribbon bagels, and twenty-five cents from the sale of each of these bagels will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation NC Triangle Affiliate.

Additionally, the eatery will host coffee talks at 9 a.m. each Wednesday in October. Medical personnel and a breast cancer survivor, including Gibbs, will present and discuss topics related to breast cancer on those days. Beaver Creek’s coffee talks will be held on Wednesday, October 12, at 1001 Beaver Creek Commons in Apex.

“Through events like the annual Komen NC Triangle Race for the Cure and through strong community partnerships with businesses like Panera, we were able to fund almost $500,000 in community grants last year,” said Pam Blondin, executive director of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation NC Triangle Affiliate. “Just as important as their financial support for the Race for the Cure and during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, is the commitment that Panera has made to educating the public about breast health. Their weekly coffee talks will help to spread the word about the importance of early detection, self-examination and regular clinical breast exams and mammograms. We are grateful to have such a committed partner.”

Source: Mary Jekielek Insprucker Contributing Writer (topix.net)