Survivor pitches in to help Relay for Life

SUPERIOR – After being diagnosed with breast cancer on two different occasions, Linda Letcher is fighting back alongside the Mineral County Relay For Life to find a cure for the disease.

Letcher has been involved with Relay For Life since 2005, after her husband was diagnosed the year prior.  

In her first personal experience with cancer, Letcher fought alongside her husband to help bring him back to health. After being diagnosed with lung cancer, he was given a clean bill of health in December, and later his kidneys failed in February, ultimately leading to his death in 2006.

 Two years later in 2008, cancer became all the more personal as Letcher herself was diagnosed with breast cancer.

“I don’t think anyone expects to hear the words ‘you have cancer.’ So you are in shock and then you go through phases of grief,” Letcher explained while donning her purple Relay For Life shirt in her home. “You’re angry, you’re sad, you have guilt, you bargain, you deny. You go through all the stages of grief until you come to the final one, which I guess is acceptance.”

Letcher underwent a heavy dose of both chemotherapy and radiation. During radiation, she decided to go with an extra strong dose, expediting the process to 21 days instead of 36 days.

During her treatment, Letcher became closer with Relay For Life as they helped her recover.

She took part in a program called Road to Recovery. Although at the time, the program was not fully organized, Letcher was transported into Missoula every day for 21 days in order to undergo treatment.

“The blessed thing about Relay For Life is at the time it wasn’t really a program, but they did it anyhow,” Letcher said.

Not only did she  receive rides for treatment, but members of the Relay provided Letcher with homemade meals, making it easier for her during the long, grueling process.

Although radiation treatments were short and kept at six minutes apiece, the drive to and from Missoula on a daily basis was beyond tiring.

“I didn’t think it would tire me out, but it did,” Letcher said. “You drive all that way to spend 10-15 minutes and you come home.”

Letcher peeled and burnt from the process, but overall was happy to get the cancer treated.

She underwent an initial surgery, a lumpectomy, where a lump was removed from her breast. From there, Letcher attended doctor’s appointments every six months and was tested for “markers” – a sign that the body is fighting something.

The cancer was very small, contained to approximately a centimeter or less, but after the first surgery, the doctors were not sure if they had removed it all, so Letcher hit the surgery table once again.

In 2011, Letcher would be diagnosed with breast cancer again, but this time it was no easy fix. Letcher was found to have a genetic mutation known as BRAC1. The mutation greatly increases the chance of developing breast and/or ovarian cancer.

With the new diagnosis, Letcher had a big decision to face. The standard treatment for the mutation is typically a double mastectomy, or the removal of both of breasts.

“You have it all removed – that’s the option, that was the choice,” Letcher explained.

The decision was a hard one to make, however, Letcher knew it was the step she had to take. She did not want to go through chemo or radiation again.

“I didn’t want to go in for surgery every six months or go through chemo or radiation. That was not a lot of fun. I made it through OK, but it was not the best years of my life,” Letcher said.

 Once her breasts were removed, Letcher began a long recovery process. Limited physically, she began to heal and recover – a process made easier by her Relay comrades.

“To tell you the truth the first time I looked in the mirror after I got all my bandages off, it looked like I got attacked by a grizzly bear. It was kind of scary,” Letcher said.

Letcher decided not to undergo reconstructive surgery and over time began to feel normal again. She underwent a mental change and decided her body looks just right the way it is.

Since the double mastectomy, Letcher has not experienced any recurrent signs of cancer. She continues to go to doctor’s appointments every six months and five years out from the diagnosis, will be considered cancer free again.

Although she has gone through the recovery process, the shock of her diagnosis is still easy to remember.

“What was so surprising to me is other than some cousins, no one (in my family) has had cancer. I think that’s why it was such a shock,” Letcher said.

Letcher credits the power of the mind as an important recovery tool.

“I think attitude has a lot to do with recovery – don’t get discouraged, you’ll have bad days, but there will be good ones, too. It will get better,” Letcher said to all those fighting the fight.

Her involvement in Relay For Life helped her overcome one of the toughest battles in her life and Letcher plans to continually stay involved with Relay for many years to come.

“I’ll be involved with it every year,” Letcher said. “I just hope that the community will be involved with Relay whether they are on a team or just come and walk around the track.”

The annual Mineral County Relay For Life event will take place on July 11 at the Superior High School at 6:30 p.m. and will span into the early morning hours of July 12.

The proceeds raised will go towards the fight against cancer, with the ultimate goal of finding a cure for the disease. In all, the Mineral County teams plan to raise $35,000 towards their cause.