Bio: Judith Braun, 61, is a vice president at Mines & Associates, an organizational psychology company that offers employee-assistance programs, managed mental health-care and other programs. Prior to that was a middle-school teacher.
The challenge: Braun is a survivor. She has had cancer three times and recently shared her story at the Day of Caring, a daylong event devoted to breast-cancer education. She had her first breast cancer at age 33, got ovarian cancer three years later and had a recurrence of breast cancer at age 43.
The chemotherapy drugs she took while treating the ovarian cancer resulted in breathing and heart problems six years ago, she says. While Braun never had a heart attack, she was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy. Next came cardiac rehabilitation and a new focus on her diet and exercise routine.
Braun credits her doctor, JoAnn Lindenfeld, and the lifestyle changes with dramatically improving her health. “My husband says I’m healthier now than I’ve ever been,” she says.
Coping with cancer also helped Braun prepare her daughter Tracy Mansoor for what she would face after being diagnosed with breast cancer three years ago.
Motivation: “You can either be a pessimist or you can decide that life is worth living and get on with it,” she says.
Because she’s such an optimist, others look to Braun for advice and encouragement in dealing with cancer, and she’s happy to provide it. “I think I’m pretty much of a miracle after surviving ovarian cancer at a time when most people didn’t,” she says. “If I can give others hope, I will.”
Still working on: Braun says her diligence in doing monthly breast self-exams, scheduling doctor’s visits, going to the gym three times and week and eating a no-salt, low-fat diet has paid off in her current clean bill of health.
Best advice: Surround yourself with people who are supportive. “My husband has been terrific through it all,” she says, noting they will celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary later this year. A sister, her daughters, friends and co-workers have also given her strength.
Don’t fall into the trap of comparing yourself or your cancer to someone else’s, she says. “And remember you are a whole person. You can have a cold or a virus; don’t fear that everything is cancer or related to cancer.
“As the years go by, you never forget, but you learn to cope.”
-Suzanne S. Brown
Do you know someone who has lost a lot of weight, rebounded after an illness or made a healthful lifestyle change? Send a name, daytime phone number, a description and photo to Fitness, The Denver Post, 1560 Broadway, Denver, CO 80202, or e-mail to living@denverpost.com.
