“My mother and I never cry. We are extremely hard assed people.”

I've always heard a lot about Amy—I wish that I had been given a chance to meet her. I have had the opportunity to meet her daughter and best friend and partner Lenore, as well as being blessed with being treated by the same Oncologist, Dr. Barbara Shea-Civiello.

Amy's Treat has become for me, a passion.

The hardest Mother-Daughter experience I ever had—and I really thought that through my trying teen/college years, we'd done them all—was when my mother came and sat at my kitchen bench after my forced colonoscopy at 48 years old. I still had a bit of fuzziness, but not so much that I didn't know what I was told about my prognosis. I will never forget my Mom sitting at my bench and asking me for the truth. I told her that I had cancer. I don't think that I told her I had Stage 4 metastasized cancer. I'm pretty sure that I told her I was going to be fine. My Mom cried, I did just a little to make her feel better. My mother and I never cry. We are extremely hard assed people.

I just realized I started writing in present tense about my Mom, great segue into what has happened, I guess. I started doing radiation and chemo right away beginning in December of 2008. I actually improved through the treatment because the tumor that I had was killing me, and as it was shrunk I began to get better. During this time, my Mother started not doing so well, and my family and I became concerned with her health. Understanding the oldest daughter/mother dynamic of “I can do anything better than you can do better,” I was not surprised when she became so sick that she was diagnosed with Stage 4 metastasis lung/brain cancer. If I sound a little angry here, you guessed right. I am. My Mother passed away after a very short and difficult time of 7 months. I love my Mother very much and miss her every day. I quite honestly believe that she gave up her life for me. I'm doing okay and surviving—probably because I need to see my son graduate from high school in 4 years and my Mother would not let me do anything of my own choosing anyway.

In the meantime, Amy's Treat—Lenore, Dr. Civiello, all of the nurses and staff at SCC—have gone above and beyond anything they should and could do. I have received dinner certificates, help with electric bills, flowers, rides to Mass. General and just a huge amount of goodwill and love that I could never repay. You are all the best and as long as I can, I'll be your biggest cheerleader—even without my long blondish hair!

Love you,
Caren