THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, October 25, 1994 TAG: 9410250037
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E01 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DEBRA GORDON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
WITH HER customary humor and bluntness, media personality and author Linda Ellerbee will bring the message of her own survival of breast cancer to the women of Hampton Roads on Wednesday.
The former network anchorwoman's talk, ``Moving On,'' is sponsored by Sentara Health System in recognition of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
``One of the reasons we haven't come very far with curing this disease is because women have been conditioned to be so secretive about the disease and to hide it,'' she said in a telephone interview from her office in New York City. ``We're not hiding it anymore; we're making a noise.''
Ellerbee was 48 when she discovered a lump in her breast two years ago. She admits she hadn't been getting regular mammograms. Her large breasts and history of fibroid cysts meant she was finding lumps all the time, lumps that went away. Over the years, she'd had lots of scares and had come to keep a watch on her breasts, but, like many women, had gotten lazy.
``And, like many women, I'd read those conflicting studies that questioned the efficacy of mammograms for women under 50.''
But then came the lump that didn't go away. And the biopsy that showed it to be malignant.
It was the latest in a lifelong history of bad luck, ranging from her frequent firings and job changes in print and broadcast journalism, four marriages, problems with her two children, and her struggle to overcome alcoholism.
But she faced breast cancer with the same solid strength and sense of humor she utilized in facing those other adversities.
One double mastectomy and a bout with chemotherapy later, Ellerbee was ready with the jokes. The one about swimming with her stick-on prosthesis. About playing catch with her dog when . . . uh, we promised we'd let her tell that one during her speech.
She has a message for women about breast cancer, she says, one they haven't heard a million times in newspaper and magazine articles.
``I'm going to encourage them not to look at breast cancer as a death sentence, but to become politically active. AIDS has made it clear to us that even in diseases the squeaky wheel does get the money and the research. But women have always been conditioned to suffer in silence and solitude, and we're awfully good at it.''
And she stresses that her talk is not just for breast cancer victims and survivors, but for women who've never developed the disease.
``The major thing lacking is to involve in great numbers women who haven't gotten the disease. If you leave it only to those of us who had it, it takes too long. This is something that all women need to get involved in. With breast cancer coming to one women in eight in our lifetime, if it hasn't touched you it's going to; maybe you won't get it, but someone you love is going to get it.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Ellerbee was ready with the jokes. The one about swimming with her
stick-on prosthesis. About playing catch with her dog when ... uh,
we promised we'd let her tell that one during her speech.
ELLERBEE TALKS
WHEN: 7 p.m. Wednesday
WHERE: Norfolk Airport Hilton
COST: $5, which will be donated to the American Cancer Society
DETAILS: (800) SENTARA
KEYWORDS: PROFILE
by CNB