Breast cancer survivors to share their stories

Four breast cancer survivors will share their stories at a free seminar on breast cancer awareness sponsored by Soroptimist International of Rim of the World.

The seminar, intended to promote support and understanding, will take place on Saturday, April 13 at 3 p.m. at St. Richard’s Episcopal Church.

Lauralea Hopper, a 44-year resident of the mountain community and retired school principal for Rim of the World Unified School District, is an 18-year breast cancer survivor.  She currently spends her time working at her husband Geoff’s law practice while residing part-time in Lake Arrowhead and Palm Desert.

Mary-Justine Lanyon is originally from Massachusetts and graduated from UMass with a degree in English. She and her husband, Armand, moved to Lake Arrowhead in 2003. She was the editor of and reporter for the Mountain News for 11 years and is currently the editor of the Alpine Mountaineer. Mary-Justine was diagnosed with breast cancer in March 2017. After a lumpectomy and radiation treatments, she has had no evidence of disease (NED) for seven years.

 

 

 

 

 

Lorna Polley was raised in Southern California, attended the University of Redlands and lived in Irvine for the first 10 years of married life.  In 1985, Lorna and her husband, Jack, moved to Lake Arrowhead. In 1989, they bought Lake Arrowhead Patrol. Jack and Lorna operated this private security company until his death in 1996; she continued to run it until she retired in 2006. In 2004, Lorna was diagnosed with early-stage invasive ductile carcinoma. She was successfully treated at UCLA Medical Center and there have been no recurrences.

 

 

 

 

Linda Tyer was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. Linda and her family relocated to Long Beach in 1956. She has enjoyed a fulfilling clerical career working with various school districts and for the North American Rockwell Space Division the year Americans landed on the moon. In 1995, she was diagnosed with breast cancer resulting in a lumpectomy, radiation and chemotherapy treatments. Linda retired and moved to Lake Arrowhead in 2015. In 2022, her breast cancer reoccurred, resulting in a unilateral mastectomy.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the United States, except for skin cancers. It accounts for about 30 percent of all new female cancers each year.

The American Cancer Society estimates about 310,720 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women in the U.S. in 2024. In addition, about 56,500 new cases of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a very early and non-invasive form of breast cancer, will be diagnosed. And about 42,250 women will die from breast cancer this year.

Breast cancer mainly occurs in middle-aged and older women. The median age at the time of breast cancer diagnosis is 62, meaning half of the women who developed breast cancer are 62 or younger when diagnosed. A small number of women diagnosed with breast cancer are younger than 45.

Individuals dealing with breast cancer, their family members, care givers, members of organizations serving them and the community may benefit from attending. Refreshments will be served.

Soroptimist International of Rim of the World wishes to express their gratitude to the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians for providing the grant for their Health and Wellness seminars.

St. Richard’s Episcopal Church is located at 28708 Highway 18 in Skyforest.

Attendees are asked to RSVP to Virgie Witte, president of Soroptimist International of Rim of the World, via text at (661) 549-3510 or via email at virgiekay@outlook.com.