Spirituality to overcome: A Woman's cancer fight

RALEIGH, N.C. (MCT)- Kathy Wood had a good marriage, a 2-year-old son and a solid job at IBM. At 32, she seemed to have everything going her way. But after a climb up Mount Herman in Colorado, her pectoral muscles felt sore.

And then, there it was _ a suspicious lump.

Wood, who was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer that had spread to 22 lymph nodes, never paused to ask, "Why me?"

"I felt like I had a really good life, and I was going to win either way," said Wood, a Raleigh resident. "There wasn't a lot of time for tears."

That attitude_informed by her strong Christian faith and her positive nature_recently landed Wood a spot in a Yoplait advertisement honoring breast cancer survivors. Her photo, along with four others, is featured this month on the "Yoplait Fridge Pack" promotions at Kroger and other stores nationwide.

For Wood, the advertisement is just another way to communicate what has become a ministry of hope and encouragement. That ministry, called "Hangin' on Faith," is still in its infancy, but through her new Web site (www.hanginonfaith.org) and her jewelry design she hopes to inspire the estimated 178,000 U.S. women who have received an invasive breast cancer diagnosis this year.

"Sometimes reading about how someone else has prevailed will give you the strength and encouragement to make it through, too," the Web site proclaims.

Wood, now 42, is happy to share her story. After a mastectomy, four rounds of chemotherapy, radiation to her chest wall and a stem-cell transplant, Wood rallied with the help of her faith and her church_Asbury United Methodist.

Church members brought her meals three times a week, shuttled her to doctor visits, babysat her son, Jarrett, and, most of all, prayed for her. The strength she received from her congregation allowed her to give back to others.

"She supported me more than I supported her," said Linda Stanley, a fellow church member and friend who cared for Wood during her treatments. "She has a special spiritual gift of hospitality."

When her grueling regimen was over, Wood was able to resume her life. She worked from home for IBM. She and her husband, Brian, organized marriage retreats for church members. For a while, they became foster parents for a 2-year-old boy and a 4-year-old girl.

Wood had four good years. Then, after a back massage during a layover at the Charlotte airport a few years ago, Wood had a seizure. She felt pins and needles shooting up and down her arms. Then her speech became garbled. The next day, she had another seizure.

She didn't need a doctor's diagnosis to tell her the cancer had spread to her brain_"I knew right away," she said.

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The prognosis was not good. One doctor at the University of North Carolina Hospitals told her he had a similar patient who lived 26 months. Wood's treatment involved removal of one tumor and massive doses of radiation to a second, inoperable one.

She emerged from her treatments with short-term memory loss, a loss of sensation on her right side and an even greater determination to help others.

A stained-glass class inspired her to create a symbol_a cancer survivor's pink ribbon draped over the Christian cross_and a motto: "Hangin' on faith."

After Wood's first bout with cancer, doctors would refer their patients to her for advice and encouragement. Now on long-term disability from IBM, she has time to help others.

"I realized she was not interested in making money," said Jim Martin, a fellow church member who encouraged Wood to start a nonprofit. "She was was interested in helping people who were hurting."

Martin is working with Wood to develop what they hope will be a Web site for people confronting serious illness to share their stories. Already, they've gotten posts from people with lung cancer, depression and bipolar disorder.

It has been six years since she was treated for brain tumors. If there's one thing Wood regrets, it's her hair loss. A permanent bald patch runs across her scalp. Friends remind her to thank God for being able to complain about hair.

"In the midst of a serious storm, she was always so strong and peaceful and calm," said Kathleen Smothers, a friend.

One thing that's helped is what Wood calls her "prayer wall." When she was first treated for breast cancer, she imagined a white brick wall surrounding her. She shares that image with others, an image she believes points to the peace of God. It's that peace she wants to share.

"I want to do God's will," Wood said. "For me, God's will is giving people hope and encouragement."

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© 2008, The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.).