Battling Breast Cancer on Two Wheels

The word "cancer" is scary to hear. Questions like, "How am I going to tell my family? What's going to happen to me? What are my options?" scatter the brain. Similar questions went through former dancer, Emily Gresh's mind.  

Diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 39, Gresh was terrified and wasn't sure how to tell her family. But after hours of scouring the Internet one night, Gresh was able to turn a negative event into a positive, life-changing one. Gresh shares her story of how she turned to cycling  to fight her battle.

More: Exercise Can 'Halve Breast Cancer Risk' in Women

Before you were diagnosed with breast cancer, how active were you?

I was a professional ballet dancer. I stopped dancing in 1997. Up until that point, I was very active—I was a very elite dancer. But then I had my little girl, and my activity level went down.. I did some yoga and ballet classes, but it was very sporadic. I worked a lot and had a very busy schedule, so I didn't have the time to really commit to one thing.

Explain what happened when you were diagnosed?

In 2004, I found a lump in my left breast. I had a lumpectomy and it turned out the lump was benign. It was a relief. Due to my family history of breast cancer, my mother and two aunts had breast cancer, I had a higher risk of breast cancer.   I put the cancer scare behind me. What I didn't put behind me was going to get mammograms.  I went every six months, then annually, and then I skipped a year. I knew I needed to go to the doctor. So in 2010 I went to back to get my mammogram. That's when I got a call from my doctor --they wanted to do more tests.

I went for a biopsy and a few days later I got a phone call asking to come back in,  and that's when the doctor told me that I had breast cancer. Just hearing I had cancer was stomach-dropping.

Fortunately it was at a very early stage. He started to explain my options, but they were not great because there were three areas the doctor wanted to take out.

More: 7 Ways to Prevent Breast Cancer

What were your options?

My options were lumpectomy and radiation. Since there were three spots, to do the lumpectomy the doctor was going to have to remove a lot of tissue. So there was going to be a great deal of damage done to my breast. The conversation went from here are your options to, 'You should have a mastectomy.'

On top of that, the conversation went to double mastectomy and reconstruction. Since I was a very high-risk patient, the chances of my cancer coming back to the other breast were very high. The doctor said I could go through this once or twice. I decided the double mastectomy was the best option--it was a very hard decision.

More: Study: Exercise May Cut Breast Cancer Risk

What went through your mind?

How am I going to tell my daughter? How am I going to tell my mom who lost her sister to cancer and battled cancer herself? How am I going to break the news to my family? It was very hard. I didn't want to tell my husband or my daughter.

How did this change your life?

The most positive thing about this was picking up cycling and finding the Young Survival Coalition (YSC). My biggest worry about being diagnosed was not about dying...I knew I wasn't going to die. My great worry was not having the same sense of vitality again. Dancing my whole life, I had this healthy feeling about my body, but I was worried  that feeling would go away. I was worried I wouldn't love my body the same way.

One night, I was terrified about my surgery. I was on the Internet looking for answers or other stories. I stumbled upon the YSC website and discover the Tour de Pink. Learning about YSC and Tour de Pink made me realize there are other people out there with similar stories. I realized  I was going to get through this, and would have a sense of vitality again.

After my surgery, I got on my bike. It was just a great feeling. Through each ride, I felt myself get stronger and stronger.

More: How Exercise Helps Battle Breast Cancer

Liv/giant just released a bike that you helped design. What's the story?

There was a contest I heard about while I was on the Tour de Pink; it was to design a special bike that would express the power of survival and hope.

I started thinking about it more and started drawing. I got  inspiration from a coffee shop I used to go to when I was getting treated. It was across the street from the hospital. So, it was a full circle for me. Fast forward a few months and my design was made into the Liv/giant Avail Inspire bike.

How has YSC helped you?

Just meeting other people  who have had similar experiences was great. It's great to know I'm not alone. Having support is helpful and incredible. As you ride with these other women, the stories come out. People say, 'I'm losing my friend, sister, wife...' But, having this support helps us all get through something scary and move on.

I've received a great deal of support, and my body has become stronger and healthier. Cycling allows me to set a goal and reach it. I feel confident, and have been able to  enjoy my life and regain my health. I now ride about four days a week.

More: Basic Cycling Tips and Skills

Cycling fits so easily into my life as a working parent. I can hop on my bike whenever I want. I don't need to rush to a cycling class and hope it fits in with my work schedule and family time. Of course, there are times when I plan to ride with friends. But, I can set the time and length. If I get home and have a free hour, I can hop on my bike and ride for an hour. I think that's why it has stuck with me so easily because it fits with my lifestyle.

What advice can you give to other women going through similar circumstances?

For every person, whether it's the person going through it or that person knows someone going through it, take time to know what's going on. Be very patient. It's an overwhelming thing. Just like riding, you need to be patient and, every time you ride, it will become easier and easier.

More: Women's Cycling Tips

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