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Laughter helps, encouraged in the healing process

by Anna Jauhola • Daily News

Pam Knapper, 43, Breckenridge, recently returned from her second Conference for Young Women Affected by Breast Cancer in Dallas with more energy and hope for the future. After Knapper was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer two years ago, she became her own advocate, making sure she had the best care possible to beat the disease.

She went through several months of chemotherapy and radiation, surgeries to remove her breasts and 15 lymph nodes, and much recovery. She said in an October 2007 interview, the loss of hair didn't bother her because to her that meant the chemotherapy was working. However, she is aware not every cancer patient has as positive an outlook as she does.

That is why she quickly began a support group in her hometown of Moorhead, Minn., for those surviving and suffering breast cancer. "There's a lot of topics you want to talk about openly. It's more bonding of women going through the same thing," Knapper said of the support group.

Attending the Conference for Young Women Affected by Breast Cancer was a real help for Knapper personally and it gave her more ideas for the support group.

When she attended in 2008, Knapper went to gather more information to start the support group. She ended up not only getting tons of information, she found the conference inspiring. "It was really important because of the type of cancer I have," she said. "It's really rare and to see other survivors helps me personally." The first conference helped Knapper educate herself in after care, look into reconstruction options and whether to reconstruct.

So, that was the next part of Knapper's journey. She has been through two stages of reconstructive surgery at North Memorial in Minneapolis and will have her final surgery March 18.

When asked how a double mastectomy and the choice to have reconstruction has affected her life, Knapper said she needed it done for normalcy. "For me, being as young as I was (when I was diagnosed), I needed to have it done for self-confidence," she said. "If they told me I couldn't, I would have been OK with that."

This has been an exciting transition for Knapper and she stresses the need to keep humor in her life. That was a major message the 2009 conference — "They really instilled laughter," Knapper said. "Laugh and enjoy life."

This year, Knapper said "there's so much to see." One of the workshops she attended is "How to become a healthy survivor," which taught how to deal with the after affects of cancer and treatments, the chance of reoccurrence and discussing these with children.

"Some people think, 'Did I do right by my kids the way I handled it?'" Knapper said.

Other workshops and subjects included sex and intimacy, advanced breast cancer medical updates, anxiety and depression, and how to find support to deal with and understand emotions.

"I want to bring back to the group that all feelings you feel are OK," Knapper said. "I want to help them realize that emotions are OK, but they need to find an outlet and channel them into another area."

Knapper said she'd like to go to the conference every year because there are constant strides in breast cancer research. One she is currently making herself aware of is the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene. These are hereditary genes that cause breast cancer, which can be detected through genetic testing. If the genes are found, there is a 30-85 percent chance of developing breast cancer.

Right now, Knapper said she will not get tested. She and her 16-year-old daughter, Danae, have talked extensively on the subject. They want to get through the rest of Knapper's treatment first before dealing with the possibility of a hereditary gene. Knapper said both her children, Danae and 14-year-old Derek, have taken the stress extremely well. Her husband of 20 years, Marvin, has also been very supportive.

"When I go down to Texas for my checkups, my family gets anxiety, but as long as I'm doing everything I can do it's basically in God's hands," Knapper said.

For the third year, the group Pam's Pals will hold a rummage sale to help two families affected by breast cancer. The rummage sale will be Saturday, March 14 at the Breckenridge Senior Center from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.