Following her breast cancer diagnosis, Vicki Brown said she was ready to move on past it.
The diagnosis, which occurred in 2019, couldn’t have come at a more difficult time, she told the For the Girls crowd Thursday. A day after turning 40, she had a mammogram and her results ultimately came back that she had breast cancer.
“It was a very stressful time in my life,” she said.
The people in the room know far too well.
Brown, a registered dietitian, certified diabetes care and education specialist, was the guest speaker at the sold-out event held at the Norfolk Country Club, 1700 Riverside Blvd. The gathering was a way to honor and educate breast cancer survivors, according to board member Lori Williams.
Around 70 attendees — most sporting pink attire — attended the event.
For the Girls’ goal is to “help women in Northeast Nebraska win the fight against breast cancer by supporting their medical, emotional and educational needs,” according to the organization’s website.
For the Girls secretary Kathy Rockey said that even though the organization is based in Norfolk, its aim is to help those throughout Northeast Nebraska.
“One of the portions of our mission statement is to address the educational needs of breast cancer survivors,” she said. “So, tonight is part of fulfilling that mission and helping to provide some education to (those in attendance).”
She added that Brown was a perfect person to provide such information.
Brown touched on body mass index and ways folks can look to trim extra pounds.
She said weight issues can happen during a cancer diagnosis as people gain extra pounds due to certain medications and treatments. She noted this happened to her.
Brown said when she was diagnosed, she was angry. She was able to go through surgery and radiation but then the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
“I felt like the way I approached cancer was to fix it and forget it,” Brown said. “Tell me what I need to do to get this done and move on because I don’t have time for this and I don’t want to deal with it.”
However, that resulted in “a cancer hangover,” she said. It’s common for this occurrence to happen during treatment or a later stage of dealing with the disease, Brown said.
The cancer hangover happened to her a year and a half after she finished treatment. Brown said it was like “a crash” as she tried to put the experience aside.
“There’s a lot more to it,” she said. “It’s not just fix it and forget it. I still feel like I’m in a hangover. I’m still dealing with a lot of those types of things.”
Brown joked she always considered herself a “practical dietitian” as she understands life can get in the way. But she noted following her cancer diagnosis, she has become more empathetic with her patients.
“I can understand when they go through those struggles,” she said.
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