Linda Holden
Linda is a caregiver for her husband Bob. Bob was diagnosed with MBC de novo in January 2003. Bob had gone to the Doctor because he had a lump in his breast. Because it is rare in males to get BC they didn’t do a biopsy. After his clavicle fractured for the second time for no apparent reason he was diagnosed with MBC. Bob has been permanently disabled since his diagnosis. At the time of Bob’s diagnosis, Bob was given 24-30 months to live.
Bob and Linda had been dating six years at the time of his diagnosis. Bob broke up with Linda for a brief period after his diagnosis. After Bob completed chemotherapy and had a mastectomy they got married in Maui, Hawaii on July 15, 2003. When they came home Bob then started his radiation treatment. He has been on and off treatment ever since. Bob has currently been on treatment for the past 3 1/2 years, every 3 weeks.
Being a caregiver has given Linda many challenges. From dealing with the day-to-day living needs of Bob and trying to take care of herself. She finds it hard to find the right balance, but she is always working on achieving it.
Because of Linda’s experience, she has become an advocate for Male Breast Cancer and Metastatic Breast Cancer.
Linda volunteers with the “Male Breast Cancer Coalition”. The MBCC is a patient advocacy organization that is working to educate the world that men have breasts too. We connect men living with breast cancer together so they don’t feel alone.
She also volunteers with the “American Cancer Society - Cancer Action Network”. Linda is the Lead Ambassador for her district. She has traveled to her state capitol and the nation’s capital each four times. They meet with their representatives and lobby for cancer-related bills.
Linda attended the “National Breast Cancer Coalition’s” Project LEAD program in July 2017. Linda feels that it is an incredible program that gave her a background in the science of breast cancer so she can be a better advocate. Linda also attended the NBCC Summit and Lobby day this year in Washington, D.C.
Click here to read all of Linda's articles on AdvancedBreastCancer.net
