Lori Shannon, breast cancer survivor: A positive attitude is everything
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --
A seasoned veteran at Tinker, 911 dispatcher Lori Shannon has
spent the last 30 years responding to emergency calls.
Working at Tinker Air Force Base’s Emergency Dispatch Center, Ms.
Shannon’s line of work requires a great deal of composure. Answering calmly and
comforting is essential, and often can keep the situation from escalating.
For three decades, Ms. Shannon said she has worked with the best
team of dispatchers and responders.
“We’re really like one big family,” she said. “When I started
here, I was young enough to be some of their daughters. Now, I feel like I’m
old enough to be some of their mothers. But we are a family.”
Though she has extensive experience dealing with emergencies,
nothing could have tested that quite like the news Ms. Shannon received nearly
a year ago. In November 2015, following a regular, routine mammogram exam, Ms.
Shannon was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Ms. Shannon quickly underwent surgery right before Thanksgiving,
she recalled. Shortly thereafter, she had a second procedure to check for
margins and remove any excess.
Because her great-grandmother, grandmother and mother had all been
diagnosed with breast cancer, Ms. Shannon took a BRCA II test — an exam which
helps doctors determine if there is a genetic reasoning behind this all.
“When we got [the test] back, we found out that it wasn’t in the
genes, so my sister shouldn’t get it. I’m just so thankful my sister hasn’t had
to go through this,” she explained.
Ms. Shannon, diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer, began radiation
the following February, which lasted through March 2016. Constantly considering
how fortunate she is, Ms. Shannon only suffered from various radiation burns.
Unlike many cases, her mother included, patients who undergo chemotherapy often
lose their hair and their finger and toe nails become brittle.
Between her two surgeries, nearly 11 months ago, Ms. Shannon’s
husband was diagnosed with an aggressive form of melanoma. She took more time
off to be there for her husband than she did for herself, and it added up. With
two surgeries each, Ms. Shannon expressed, here’s to hoping for clean bills of
health from here on out. Just recently, Ms. Shannon received a six-month clear
scan.
After the most frightening year, Ms. Shannon credits where she is
today to her quality support system and positive attitude.
“I have the very best support system, bar none,” she said.
“Everyone [in my department] has helped me. The guys picked up a lot of extra
work to cover for me, and the chiefs offered to help with my schedule any way
they could. I couldn’t have done it without them.”
With a rigorous and stressful personal life, working in the fire
department, in such a strong community, Ms. Shannon remains thankful for the
steadfast flow of support she has received. It’s not always easy to control the
chaos of a work or personal environment, so to be able to have a team of
support that never falters can be a key factor in coping.
“I’ve always been a very positive person, but I really think
attitude is everything, especially with cancer,” she said. “If you get down, it
can really take you over. There’s not time to mentally prepare yourself, you
just have to stay positive.”
October is breast cancer awareness month, an annual
campaign to raise awareness for the terrible disease. Ms. Shannon encourages
women to get mammograms and to never miss a routine mammogram. Additionally,
she suggests women perform self-exams and to take care of themselves properly.
Early detection can save lives, she said.