patient, she said, especially since she was suffering from what
she calls “chemo brain.”
“Right after I came back, sometimes I would get stuck on a
word that related to a concept I was teaching. I was touched
by their patience with me. There was a student who sat right in
front of me, and he would whisper the word to help me out,”
she said, laughing. “God bless him, he went on to become a
chemical engineer.”
Since her diagnosis, her students have remained actively
involved in raising funds for Komen Pittsburgh as well as the
American Cancer Society and the Leukemia & Lymphoma
Society. Over the last five years, she estimates that her students
have collected more than $30,000 for these organizations.
“I am unbelievably proud of my students,” she said. “These
teams are completely student-run. If they need help with
anything or an adult to make a phone call about something,
I’m there. But the rest is all them.”
Tina also credits her survivorship to what she calls “Vitamin
G” – her girlfriends.
“Vitamin Girlfriends – that’s my slogan!” she said, laughing.
“My girlfriends were just so supportive of me. They were there
by my side the entire time, making sure I was OK every day.
They gave me such a positive outlook.”
Today, Tina is a five-year survivor, healthy, happy and proud
to have been named the Honorary Chair of the 2014 Komen
Pittsburgh Race for the Cure. She said she is looking forward
to sharing her story on race day, which falls on Mother’s Day
each year.
“I attribute my survivorship to that first Race For The Cure
in 2009,” she said. “When someone asks me what Komen
means to me, I give them one word: empowerment.”
Empowerment, she said, is essential. Right before Christmas
Eve, for example, she started losing her hair from the effects
of chemotherapy. She asked her brother if he had a razor, and
she shaved her head on the spot. She also continued to walk
six miles a day – three in the morning, three in the afternoon –
each day while she was undergoing chemotherapy.
As for women who are facing the same battle, she said, “You
have to be in control. You can’t let it control you,” she said.
“You say, ‘I’m going to shave my head.’ You have the power.
Then you’re in control.”
“Surround yourself with positive people,” she added. “You
can’t let the cancer beat you. You beat the cancer.” ■
Carlynton-Montour | Summer 2014 | icmags.com 11