Survivors stories featured on exhibit

Cancer survivors from Cameron, Potter and Elk counties are among those whose stories are featured on a traveling exhibit now on display at the Elk Regional Health Center in St. Marys.

The exhibit is a celebration of life, courage, hope and dignity, entitled, “67 Women, 67 Counties: Facing Breast Cancer in Pennsylvania.” Paulette Schreiber, a nurse practitioner

in St. Marys and 12-year breast cancer survivor, spoke at the exhibit’s debut last week.

“Early screening is no longer enough,” Schreiber said. “We must work to find a cure,”

She said each year in Pennsylvania 2,100 lives are lost to breast cancer. One in seven women will be diagnosed with breast cancer.

She announced a new program the hospital will soon offer for breast cancer survivors. “New Healthy You” is expected to kick off in January.

Among those on hand last week was Cameron County’s featured survivor, Twila Alden. Alden, who was 55 at the time of her diagnosis, said, “I was amazed at my fast recovery. I had no treatments.

I got positive support from doctors, nurses, family and friends. I am just as happy as I was in 1949.”

Potter County’s survivor is Mary Shon, who is 12 years cancer-free.

Contributing organizations for the traveling exhibit are the American Cancer Society, Elk County Tobacco and Cancer Coalition and the Women’s Health Initiative.