By Susan McClure

When I learned of the opening at CURE magazine for a publisher earlier this year, I felt compelled to check it out. Cancer, you see, is part of my history, and, like many survivors, I found that I wanted to give back and be there for those who would come after me. Shortly after I began at CURE, we began this special breast cancer issue, and I was reminded of my own breast cancer journey and how far I’ve traveled in the six years since treatment ended. My thanks to Dr. Vinay Jain, editor-in-chief and founder of the magazine, whose words usually appear on this page, as he was gracious enough to let me speak about the personal importance of this issue.

I was diagnosed with breast cancer at 35 and recall thinking, “How could this happen?” I was too young, wasn’t I? Cancer doesn’t run in my family. Nonetheless, one minute I was this high-profile magazine publisher, mother of a 2-year-old, and wife of seven years, and the next moment I felt like this frightened weakling who was considering how her son might be raised in her absence. I kept telling myself to breathe. Put one foot in front of the other and just get through it.

Sales appointments were replaced with chemotherapy appointments. Bandanas replaced hairbrushes. Power lunches became power naps. Cancer has a way of kicking you in the rear end as if to say, “WAKE UP! This isn’t a rehearsal!” It also has a way of making you appreciate all of the wonderful things in life. When I finished treatment, I told friends that I had been changed forever. Never again would I worry about the small stuff. I was going to take better care of myself. Exercise more often. Take vitamins. Live in the moment.

I hate to admit it, but those noble intentions lasted about as long as the elastic in my sports bra. The day-to-day stresses of life somehow began to creep in, and as time passed and I began to feel “normal,” I slipped back into some of my old “precancer” ways. So, six years have passed and I don’t have the toned and firm body of Demi Moore, I eat red meat, and drink diet sodas on occasion.
But I’m still forever changed. I’m a survivor. And like most survivors, I feel obligated (and honored) to help others who are suffering with this disease. My job at CURE provides great fulfillment because it helps to demystify the cancer journey.

As a breast cancer survivor, I’m thrilled to present you with CURE’s first ever, single-topic issue devoted entirely to the subject of breast cancer. This issue has much to celebrate in the fight against breast cancer: longer survival for many women with advanced breast cancer due to new drugs and new combinations of old drugs, a new look at how healing integrates all aspects of our lives, new surgery choices for reconstruction, the stories of long-term survivors, and the history of the women who have spoken for all of us in Washington, D.C., and our communities.

Throughout the issue we have brought you the faces and stories of real women, women like consulting senior editor Kathy LaTour, a 17-year-survivor who contributes many of her insights in this issue. Following our request in a recent issue, we were inundated with photos chronicling our readers’ breast cancer journeys, and we were amazed at the willingness of our readers to bare all for those of you still enduring treatment. I wish we could publish each one.
Lastly, a special thanks to the thousands of you who took the time to fill out the anonymous survey that was included in our Spring issue. We were interested to learn that 45% of you are currently in treatment and that 41% are survivors. We discovered that 25% of you have discussed an article you’ve read in CURE with your doctor and 75% save every issue for future reference. We were delighted to learn that 83% of you find CURE to be very or extremely helpful, and we have recorded your suggestions on how to make it better in the coming year.
We are excited about 2004 as this year draws to a close. We are planning to bring you more of the information you want to read about.