The following is a breif history of my mom's battle with breast cancer and the Story of the "Cancer Ring" told in her own words.


In December 1986 I married Gary Stone, who I had known for 3 years. In January 1987, I was diagnosed with breast cancer and had surgery, a “modified radical mastectomy”. There were 5 out of 22 lymph nodes ‘positive’ for cancer. So in February 1987 I began 6 months of chemotherapy. I went through the usual nausea, loss of hair, etc. that all women went through at that time.

After I had been cancer free for 2 years, I sought a plastic surgeon (Dr. John Griffin, Atlanta Georgia) to ‘re-build’ my right breast. I chose a ‘tram flap” procedure which was relatively new at the time. It involves opening the original site of the mastectomy, surgically lifting the skin of the abdomen from the site below the navel, removing a ‘football’ shaped mass of tissue, (blood vessels and muscle still attached), tunneling the tissue under the skin (folding the muscle across the chest) and pushing the tissue out the open breast site and attaching the tissue there. This effectively creates a new breast from your own body and is living tissue – no implants. You also get a “free” tummy tuck! During the same operation, I had the other breast reduced to more closely match the new breast. After healing I had a ‘nipple’ transplant to complete the procedures. The first on was not a good result and I had the procedure re-done later, and it was a success.

In January 1992, after I had been cancer free for 5 years, I had a small ‘celebration’, cards, flowers, etc. My brother bought me a ring, which I now call my “Cancer Ring”. He wrote a beautiful note which (paraphrased) said:

To My sister Joyce,

You said once that your anniversary date wasn't as important to others as it was to you. While it didn't have as direct a physical effect on me as it did you, since that day never a day has gone by that I am not thankful that you recovered as quickly and completely as you did.

I picked this particular gift for specific reasons. The five stones on one side are for the five years just past, and the progress made. The five on the other side are for the next five, during which (if prayers are answered) you will do equally well.

The one in the middle is for the beauty of life that surely would have left had not God taken a hand in restoring you.

While I am no poet, I can express this thought: I love you and am thankful every day that you weren't taken from us one day five years ago. Happy Anniversary,

(S) Jerry

It was a most beautiful, special and beloved gift, and I have treasured it for the last 8 years in which I have continued to be free from cancer. I used to kid my brother that when the next 5 years are up, he had to get me another ring for the next few years! HA!

During the Fall of 1999, at some point in time some one entered my home and stole about $4000 worth of jewelry. My “Cancer Ring” was one of the pieces missing. I have not recovered that ring or any of the other jewelry. It is a sad note to a wonderful story, but the thought and intent of the ring lives on in my heart and memories.

I was almost as upset about the loss of the "Cancer Ring" as my Mother. I know how much that ring meant to her. It was a symbol of her triumph over cancer. I had the idea of giving her another "Cancer Ring", one that could never be stolen. And that is how the "Cancer Ring" WebRing was conceived.



This page updated on February 9, 200


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