| Shannon's Comfy Chemo Care Bag Project |
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Shannon McQuillan Norris, 38, was diagnosed with stage II, hormone receptor-positive breast cancer in 2016. She lives in Bowie, Maryland, with her husband of 7 years, their three dogs, and a foster dog. Shannon has worked in Catholic education for 16 years in various roles. She and her husband just completed training to become foster-to-adopt parents.
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 I am HONORED to be invited to join team #AlternatingCurrents - Heller Electric Co, this year for the 13th annual Fish 4 A Cure fundraising and fishing tournament! We held a fundraiser at The Boathouse at Anchored Inn in Deale, Maryland on September 24, 2019. It was such a great success! We raised a good amount of money but we are trying to become the top team again like in 2015. Last year, they raised over $60,000 and just missed the top spot by 3K. Fish for a Cure was started in 2007 and all funds raised goes directly to the Geaton & Joann DeCesaris Cancer Institute at Anne Arundel Medical Center. Myself and many of my friends and family have directly benefited from the cancer support and survivorship services offered through this program. So to be a part of the fundraising efforts this year makes me feel good about being able to give back and paying it forward! Read more about how Fish for A Cure was founded here.
Check out my quick speech to all who attended our fundraiser - I am trying to find another way to share the video but for now, you will have to view it on Facebook. Interested in donating to Team Alternating Currents? You can visit our team page here to learn more!
"Do you still have questions after reconstructive surgery? They will be answered at the 2019 Living Beyond Breast Cancer Conference: Sharing Wisdom, Sharing Strength breakout session Ask the Experts: Lingering Questions After Breast Reconstruction with panelists Minas Chrysopoulo, MD, FACS, and Tara Dunsmore-Williamson. Register, or check back in late September for a link to the recording. LBBC asked members of their community to share their experiences with breast reconstruction. In this video, four young women who are part of Living Beyond Breast Cancer’s Young Women’s Initiative share their questions about reconstruction, some that cause concern years after breast surgery. See the full article here and watch the video of myself and 3 other LBBC Young Adult Advocates share our lingering questions after our surgeries. Amanda Celeste, Dalynn Coffman, Shannon Norris, and Marissa Thomas are volunteers for Living Beyond Breast Cancer’s Young Advocate Program. Learn more about the program.
"Breast cancer can change the way your body feels and the way you feel about your body and yourself. Many young women say they don’t recognize the person in the mirror anymore—sometimes for the better, and sometimes for the worse." I applied to Living Beyond Breast Cancer's Young Women's Initiative advocacy training program. With my acceptance was another application to share my story about body image after breast cancer. Feel free to watch me and fellow survivor, Nadiyah Brown as we explore this topic openly with Oncology Social Worker, Sage Bolte and LBBC CEO, Jean A. Sachs. For more programs, events, and resources from LBBC, visit; https://www.lbbc.org/ Originally, I had expanders places to stretch my skin in order to make room for implants after my double mastectomy (2/2/17). I had those implants placed on 10/23/17. At first, I didn’t think they were too bad and I kind just lived with it. I had no cleavage, while my left “breast” drooped, quite frankly, I was better off flat! Finally, I had enough, I decided to get a few opinions from plastic surgeons around the area to see if they could fix the mess that was my chest.
After meeting with Dr. Claire Duggal of Sandel Duggal Center for Plastic Surgery and Medical Spa in a Annapolis, I couldn’t wait to have surgery! She is amazing.. what surgeon personally calls you the night before surgery and the night after to check on you?!!! That was just an added bonus for me! As discussed, She removed my old implants out from under my muscle and placed new, fuller implants on top of my muscle. She has created beautiful cleavage, which I haven’t seen since 2017. She did a bit of fat grafting as well to give me a fuller feeling and to prevent any rippling from the implants. I couldn’t be happier! She has brought back a feeling that has been missing for a couple years now. Cancer tries to take a lot away from us, you continue moving forward because you are grateful to be alive... please know you don’t have to be unhappy... thank you Dr. Duggal, even though it’s only been 6 days, I am still bruised and have drains, I am really starting to feel and see the femininity that I lost so many surgeries and so many pounds ago. I thought I’d never get it back..... Hoping I can get my drains out today!!!! Thank you for the prayers, support and love since day 1! Love you all ❤️ #CancerSucks #YoureNotAlone #Advocate #LBBC360 comfychemocarebagproject.org
I am so grateful that God put Victoria in my life. Thank you to Victoria from Consumer Catholic and Treasures in Heaven podcast for this amazing opportunity to share my story and my mission. LIKE & SHARE the Consumer Catholic Facebook page too. Enjoy!
Cancer has certainly changed me, inside and out. Ironically my outer appearance has change but I have become more beautiful within. Be happy with who you are, love yourself unconditionally. This has always been a serious struggle for me. I have always felt some type of way about my outer appearance. Do I wish I could lose all this weight, YES! Am I on medicine that prevents me from doing so, YES! But I will continue to work and strive to become the best version of myself, whoever she may be. I recognize that I am truly blessed. When you are diagnosed with cancer, your whole life changes in an instant. You zombie your way through treatments and surgeries and then you come out the other side with chemo brain trying to recall what just happened. Once you regain your footing, take everything you just went through into perspective, you have two choices; to feel sorry for yourself, which doesn't take much work or effort or set out on a new journey to become a better version of yourself, you post cancer... grateful you. Your eyes are now open and you actually SEE what is important in life. Everyday that the Lord allows me to open my eyes to walk this Earth I will strive to pay it forward, that is what the Lord has put on my heart. It has become my passion to help others in any way that I can. Count your blessings each and every day - it’s important to recognize all that you have and ask yourself daily why you are here. We were all put on this Earth for a reason, how can I truly make an pact on this world??
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Shannon McQuillan NorrisDog mom, Proud LEO family, Cradle Catholic, animal lover, sports enthusiast, Techie! Family, Faith, and Friends are my everything - Cancer Thriver & Advocate Archives
May 2021
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