Hayley is our model for our 2006 Reserve Cabernet-Syrah.

This disease took my mother, and I feared it could do the same to me.

At the age of 36, Hayley went for a routine mammogram. This was a part of her regular health care, but doing so was also dictated by family history. Hayley’s mother was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 37. She lost her battle with the disease at the age of 47. Hayley knew the importance of being vigilant with her checkups.

The mammogram revealed an abnormality. Hayley was advised to have additional pictures taken and a possible biopsy. After being bounced around in the world of medical appointments for over three months, a stereotactic needle biopsy was performed. It revealed breast cancer.

“When I heard the word malignant, my life came to a screeching halt.” notes Hayley. “Then it immediately went into a frantic fast forward. I was told to schedule a procedure for the following week, and I was to make a choice between a lumpectomy and a mastectomy. My mind was racing and spinning.”

Hayley took to the internet to research her options and learn as much as she could. The only person she had known to be diagnosed with breast cancer had been her mother.

“I searched the web with a vengeance. I gathered information and statistics. The internet can be both a great place and a scary place all at once, depending on what you’re researching. Finally, I chose to have a lumpectomy.”

Not knowing any oncologists, Hayley selected a physician from the Yellow Pages. “The earliest appointment I could get was two weeks away. After I had waited an hour in his waiting room, he came out to advise me that his practice did not accept my insurance. Discouraged? Yes. Determined? Absolutely.”

Fortunately, Hayley then found an oncologist with whom she developed a trust and rapport. Her lumpectomy was scheduled. “I underwent the procedure knowing that I could lose my breast. I woke up in the main recovery room, not the outpatient recovery room. My husband’s face appeared above mine. He told me that the cancer was very aggressive. It was found in 7 of 12 lymph nodes. In my daze, my first thoughts were of calling my hairdresser to discuss cutting my hair short because I was about to lose it all anyway.”

“The support and outpouring of love from family and friends as I went down my road with breast cancer was overwhelming. My wonderful husband went to every medical appointment with me. For every meal lovingly prepared for me, for every card and bouquet of flowers I received, for all of the phone calls to check on me, I am eternally grateful. This support and my faith in God got me through this dark time.”

Hayley discovered that the cancer support groups in her area were comprised of people much her senior. With the help of her oncologist, she organized a cancer support group for those closer to her age. She continues to be an active resource for many in her community who have been diagnosed with breast cancer.

“I don’t think about cancer every day as I once did, but I find it lingering in the back of my mind. My husband and I were given a second chance at life, and we have both taken advantage of it. We now work together. We spend more time together laughing, living life to the fullest. We live in the now and appreciate every minute.”

About Hayley

Hayley and her husband Tim live in San Luis Obispo, where they operate a residential real estate company. She is active in numerous cancer support groups and fundraisers. Currently, she is co-authoring a book about 100 women’s experiences with breast cancer and their lives after breast cancer.