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Breast cancer survivor hopes to inspire others through Nike ad Dnnna Derhak is no stranger to Juss in the last decade, she lost both her mother and her sister to breast cancer, only to then find out that she too had developed the disease. A lumpectomy and partial mastectoâ€" my cost her part of one of her breasts; and the chemotherapy treatment that followed took her hair and, in turn, stole her self esteem. Yet, three years later Derhak is enjoyâ€" ing life, refusing to allow multiple loss to overtake her. She even chose to share her story through a Nike advertising campaign in the October edition of Elle magazine, which focuses on women who have overcome adversity. "Having gone through as much as I have, 1 guess 1 hope to inspire other women," said the Waterloo woman. But Derhak admitted she wasn‘t always up for the challenge. _ Her journey to inner strength began three years ago afilhe age of 45, when doctors discovered a small lump on her breast following a routine mammoâ€" "Given what happened to my mothâ€" er and sister, 1 made sure to have a mammogram done once a year to be sure," Derhak said. "Now I‘m glad 1 did, especially since the lump was so small and doctors couldn‘t really feel it with their hands." What may be surprising is, despite encountering breast cancer through the experiences of her family members, Derhak didn‘t know a lot about the illâ€" ness. "My mother was an old European lady who didn‘t talk about that kind of thing," she said. â€" "And my sister was the same, very conservative. Both had lumps on their breasts for years and neither went to the doctor. "When my mother was in the hospiâ€" tal, my sister thought maybe she should have her own checked, but by then it {cancer) was too far gone. _ "I knew 1 didn‘t want to take the same path as my mother and my sister." After a needle biopsy confirmed By Anorea Bamey Chronicle Staff Derhak‘s lump to be malignant, she was scheduled for a lumpectomy, which would eliminate the lump and some tisâ€" sue around it. However, Derhak said the surgery left her with some ragged edges around the outer part of the breast. A partial masâ€" tectomy was required to clean up her chest area. Donna Derhak of Waterloo shares her story of surviving breast cancer through a Nike advertising campaign in the October edition of Elle magazine. Derhak said physical fitness helped her win the battle, and be decalared cancerâ€"free. "One of the good things that came out of the procedure was that a lymph node dissection showed the cancer had not spread into my lymph nodes," she said. "I was very lucky." That luck seemed to run out, howev LIFESTYLE er, when the effects of Derhak‘s chemotherapy treatment took an emoâ€" tional toll on her, and put all of her self worth in question. "I could handle the nausea and exhaustion from the treatments, but the hair loss was the most difficult part for me to deal with," she said. "I really believed hair was the central part of a person‘s identity." _ â€" _ Even the option of wearing a wig brought her nothing but discomfort. "Wigs are re so difficult to wear," she CHRON Continued on page 13 ANDREA BAEY PHOTO The Waterloo Region Coâ€"op council is celebrating National Coâ€"op Week, Oct. 14â€"20, and Credit Union Day (Oct. 18) with an event Oct. 16 in the Kitchener City Hall rotunda. There will be music, displays, a silent auction, paper quilt, and wine (nonâ€"alcoholic} and cheese from 5â€"7 p.m. . o e At 7 pm there will be a presentation by Russ Christianson of Rhythm Communications on the "Role of Coâ€"ops in Community." _ o The Waterloo Region Coâ€"op Council, with the support of the Trillium Foundation and the Coâ€"operâ€" ators, will also be launching its new map and website of coâ€"ops and credit unions, www.wiccoop.ca. There are 58 coâ€"operative organizations in the region of Waterloo serving 46,000 members and creâ€" ating over 500 jobs. This event is open to all. Heart disease is still the leading cause of death in Canada, yet there are steps that can be taken to reduce the risk of this silent killer. Local residents can get to the heart of the matter at a free information session on heart disease and cholesterol at a presentation called "Making the Connection," being held at the Four Points Hotel Sheraton Oct. 30 from 7â€"8:30 p.m. Lis Helden, a registered nurse and coâ€"chair of the Canadian Lipid Nurse Network, will talk about choâ€" lesterol and the role it plays in heart disease. Kitchenerâ€"Waterloo residents are urged to attend to learn more about how cholesterol affects their health, and hear about ways to control cholesterol to reduce their risk of heart disease and stroke. Unhealthy levels of LDLâ€"cholesterol, also known as "bad" cholesterol, affects an estimated 10 million Canadians. According to a recent international survey, 33 per cent of Ontario residents have never discussed choâ€" lesterol with their doctor, and 82 per cent do not know their own cholesterol levels. Making the Connection aims to educate people about what cholesterol is, and how it works in the body. s _ The event will feature a discussion around comâ€" mon myths and important facts, as well as what to do to help control high cholesterol. _ A quéstion-and-:‘;nswer period will follow the session. Kitchenerâ€"Waterloo is ‘Making the Connection‘ Region celebrates National Coâ€"op Week | 1 ie v 'Io Ask for details WATERLOO NORTH Northfleid at the Parkway 0% â€"rab‘~ 1 746â€"1666 FINANCING |%