A story of hope: one lady's fight against cancer

There is a song titled "Hope Is the Anthem" that claims living isn't a battle, "it's a lifelong fight."

For Sally Lambrecht living has definitely been a fight.

Her son, Chris was born in December of 1993. One month later, Lambrecht's mom died of a brain tumor after years of fighting different types of cancers. She was 62.

During Lambrecht's first round of chemo, her father died. On the day of his funeral, her hair began falling out.

But to understand the immense strength in Lambrecht's story, you have to go back to when she was first diagnosed with cancer-when she called her sister to tell her the news and wasn't comforted with a "You can get through this," but a "Well, what are you going to do?"

Lambrecht's response to her sister was simply "Well, what do you think I'm going to do? I'm going to fight this and I'm going to beat it."

Lambrecht was first diagnosed with cancer in June 2005. During a mammogram the doctors noted something "suspicious." After an ultrasound, Lambrecht was sent to the Breast Diagnostic Center in Fort Collins, Colorado where she received an excisional biopsy, a biopsy in which the entire lesion is removed. That was in July 2005.

"At that point and time, the lesion was about the size of a golf ball," Lambrecht said. "I was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer which means all your hormone receptors are negative. So it's not a hormone-driven cancer."

Triple negative breast cancer also means there is no follow-up therapy for patients to help keep the estrogen down and the cancer from coming back since hormones don't play an active role.

So to combat the lack of therapy, Lambrecht received a lumpectomy. The surgeons also went in and removed more of the surrounding tissue as well as lymph nodes. After that, Lambrecht received eight rounds of chemo therapy followed by radiation. She finished treatment in April-May of 2007.

Six years passed cancer-free.

In the summer of 2012, Lambrecht went in for a scheduled mammogram. The mammogram revealed another lump in the same breast. A needle biopsy showed over 60% of the cells in the lump to be cancerous. In November 2012, Lambrecht received a mastectomy to remove all breast tissue and prevent any future cancer from spreading.

After the mastectomy, Lambrecht received another six rounds of chemo therapy.

Cancer has been an influential force in Lambrecht's life, but contrary to what you might think, it is cancer that has established some of the most supportive relationships in Lambrecht's life and brought her family closer together.

It was cancer that made Lambrecht's father show up at her house "out of the blue" for two or three weeks straight after her mom's funeral. "He had been [her] caregiver for the last several years and without her, he was feeling pretty lost."

Lambrecht's father began showing up just to spend time with Chris, his new grandson.

"He became our babysitter," Lambrecht said with a laugh. "Which was good. It gave him something to do and it gave us (Lambrecht and her husband) some time off."

Cancer also strengthened Lambrecht's relationship with local sorority Beta Sigma Phi, a relationship that would one day get her involved behind the scenes with Night of Hope.

During Lambrecht's first round of treatment, Beta Sigma Phi packed her freezer full of casseroles and frozen dinners just to give her one less thing to worry about. For her second treatment, they held a Hat Shower, gifting Lambrecht all sorts of hats from baseball caps that said "Bad Hair Day" to stylish woolen bucket hats.

Today, cancer has led Lambrecht to the role of counselor where she mentors people diagnosed with cancer and those struggling with the side-effects of chemo. ""I can relate to them," Lambrecht said.

Using both her personal struggle and her pharmaceutical background, Lambrecht is able to answer a variety of questions and even offer advice on treatment. More often than not, she finds herself making recommendations that go against what the doctors might have suggested people eat or do to combat the chemo. If there is a better alternative, Lambrecht can help people find it.

Not every counseling relationship has a happy ending though.

"There have been quite a few people I've mentored that we've lost," Lambrecht said. "I made some good friends, but just knowing you were able to help them and give them support helps."

Lambrecht still stays in touch with many of the families of the people she mentored. "We have our hugs and tears-gotta have that part too, unfortunately."

To Lambrecht, support is essential in survival. It's why she got involved with Night of Hope.

After radiation during her first round of treatment, Lambrecht's son was midway through basketball season and she had been supporting him as much as his team had been supporting her. All of her family and friend and her son's friends and their parents had been helping out when they could, encouraging her and even joking when the players shaved their heads that they now had hairdos like Mrs. Lambrecht.

So that summer, Lambrecht united a team of supporters and walked the night full of hope.

"This was probably during the last year [Night of Hope] was held at the high school. And it rained. And it rained and it rained. And we all got soaked."

It was going to take more than a little water to stop Lambrecht from walking.

Since that first year, Lambrecht has found her place with Night of Hope to be at the sidelines. "It felt like helping with Night of Hope was more important" Lambrecht said.

Partnering with her Beta Sigma Phi sisters, Lambrecht is now able to assist with whatever needs done for the night. Registration, volunteers, the silent auction-whatever needs done, she and her sisters are ready and willing to help.

Lambrecht's dedication to Night of Hope comes from the organization's willingness to help her during her treatments.

"The second time I had chemo, I had to go to Scottsbluff for treatment and I applied for funds and Night of Hope donated. They still have a lot of funds available for people who need help with expenses; I don't think people realize that," Lambrecht said. "That's what Night of Hope does.

"Night of Hope is a really good program and that's why I still support it. It's important for those people who are new cancer survivors to come take part in it because it's hard for them; I know. There are a lot of tears on the survivor's lap. But that's part of it-to go out there and acknowledge it and let people help you. You have to have a support group."

The affirmation that support is key stems from Lambrecht's "firm belief in the power of prayer and that prayer works" and that "you have to stay positive."

When her kids were growing up, Lambrecht's motto used to be "Life's a bitch and then you die." She used to console her kids after lost basketball games with the saying. It was a realistic outlook influenced by the loss of her mother at young age.

Since her two rounds of cancer, Lambrecht's motto has changed to "Life is short; live it." And her family is now consoled by the fact that every time they leave Lambrecht's house they receive a hug, a kiss and an "I love you."

"You learn to say those things instead of leaving them in the background because you never know when it might be the last time," Lambrecht said.

Since the conclusion of her second treatment, Lambrecht has been cancer-free for three years. Her goal is five years. And then six. And then seven.