My Gramma -- The Survivor

Below is my entry to the Komen Race For the Cure "Survivor of the Year" nomination. They never contacted me regarding Gramma's story, but in my eyes, she is so much more than just survivor of the year. She is the epitome of strength and survival.

To call her “survivor of the year” would not be enough. How about survivor of the decade? Or better yet – survivor of the past 5 decades. Because that’s how long she has been battling, and surviving, this disease.

Gramma & Melissa - 1983

‘She’ would be my grandmother – Ardith Kramer. A breast cancer survivor for 46 years! Chances are, if you have attended the DC Komen Race For the Cure in the past 12 years, you’re familiar with her. The barely 5 foot tall, 82 year old little lady, proudly displaying the number of years she has survived embroidered across her pink survivor t-shirt and hat. She doesn’t say much, and never asks for recognition. But she is always there to support the millions of women that she shares a special bond with. And she never takes the smile off of her face – or the hope out of her heart.

Growing up in the 1930’s, Ardith recalls that the word ‘breast’ was never spoken – let alone the word ‘cancer’! A woman diagnosed with breast cancer in those days was considered to be contagious…and was given less than a year to live. By 1965, when she found the lump in her breast, very little had changed about the way people viewed breast cancer. Ardith went in for a biopsy of the lump, and came out of surgery minus one whole breast. She had had a radical mastectomy. It was official – she had the “C” word. But not only did she have cancer…she had two little girls (Lynn age 11; Lauri age 9) and a loving husband (her co-survivor, Abe) at home.

Gramma and her amazing co-survivor, her husband, My Grampa, Abe

Laying in her hospital bed, healing from the harsh surgery she had endured, Ardith recalled the women from her childhood who had only been given a year or less to live. It was in that moment that Ardith made a bargain with God. “God, if you allow me to see my daughters graduate from high school, I will ask for nothing more, and be eternally grateful.” Ardith knew that was only 9 more short years, but to her it would mean the world.

After undergoing cobalt radiation, the adventures of learning how to wear a prosthetic ‘boob’, enduring the whispers of the neighborhood women, and shedding many private tears worrying about leaving behind her young family, Ardith persevered…and she SURVIVED!

Fast forward nearly 40 years from diagnosis. In 2004, Ardith was walking hand-in-hand with her husband Abe, when she tripped and broke her hip. In surgery, the doctors found one lonely breast cancer cell in her femur. The cancer had metastasized to her bones. It was back.

Their love is inspiring, deep, and true.

Now 7 years later, she continues to fight breast cancer throughout her body. She has closed her eyes and pushed through the pain of chemotherapy. She has smiled as it coursed through her body, taking a toll on her taste buds, her balance, and left her bald. Last year, for the first time in public with support from friends and family at the Race for the Cure, she removed her wig and head scarf, and proudly displayed her perfectly smooth, round head in public – a battle scar she shared with so many other women that were present that day.

Ardith has given hope to so many people. After not having an outlet with which to discuss her story, she started a club called the ABC’s (for After Breast Cancer) at her retirement community, so that women who had fought the same battle, could share their stories, and give each other comfort. She inspires on a daily basis, talking openly about the treatments she received, and spreading the word about the subject that when it happened to her was so taboo, yet now sadly, is so common.

This year Ardith was blessed with her first great-grandchild. Here she was, 46 years ago, bargaining with God to give her 9 more years to see her young daughters graduate high school. And she has since been able to see both of them graduate high school and college, watch them both get married, see her grandchildren be born, graduate high school, college, and then each get married themselves and was able to dance at their weddings with her supportive husband of 60 years. Now she holds her great-grandson…an impossible dream 46 years ago…now a reality.

Holding her great-grandson. An impossible reality -- a dream come true.
She has beaten the “one year of survival” statistic from her childhood, 46 times. And she WILL CONTINUE to SURVIVE.