McPherson and Curtin Share Stories to Raise Breast Cancer Awareness

Matt McPherson's mother Melinda was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010 when Matt was five years old. Two years later, she beat it.

Ever since, she has been a continued advocate for breast cancer awareness.

"I asked her if it was okay if I shared her story," said Matt. "She said 100 percent."

Where does the story begin?

"My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer after some time questioning whether she had it or not," said Matt. "She had a mammogram and was diagnosed in June of 2010. She went through numerous rounds of chemotherapy. Some doctors said she wouldn't make it and she would have a low percentage chance of living."

Thankfully, she did beat it, and has been living every day to the fullest.

In doing so, Matt's admiration for her, a single mom, only grew.

"What got her through was being as active as she could," said Matt. "I have pictures, which I still look at to this day, of her going on hikes with my brother and I wearing her bandanna. Her immune system was really week, so she had to be careful of where she went."
Matt McPherson and his mom

Overall, Matt's mother would function fairly normally, still taking her sons to school while continuing to work as well.

"Despite what she was going through, she did a fantastic job of taking care of us," said Matt.

All the while, Matt's mother was in the midst of a fierce battle with cancer.

"I definitely remember the hospital stays," said Matt. "The experience definitely shaped me. You never know what someone's going through. My mom didn't let cancer rule her life; she kept her life, and she kept doing what she enjoyed. She kept exercising and she kept good relationships with people.

"She didn't just sit there and suffer," Matt continued.

October is a meaningful month for Melinda, with it being Breast Cancer Awareness Month. So is March because she officially became cancer-free on March 17, 2012.

"She tries to spread word as much as she can to get your mammograms and get checked out," said Matt. "She initially went in for a normal physical and was saying she was having an itchy feeling with her breast. She didn't end up getting a mammogram because she had one the previous year. When she did get a mammogram, cancer had been developing very quickly. It wasn't a matter of years, but a matter of months that it was spreading."

Melinda had a strong support system, which included two friends who were Dartmouth alums and of course, her two boys. Matt has a close relationship with his mother, one that he is eternally grateful for.

"She basically made me who I am today," he said. "I love my mom very much. She's always the one I go to for help regardless of the situation.

"The same goes for her where she always asks me for help," Matt continued. "We're really close and help each other through everything."

Hannah Curtin and her grandmother Thea also have a close relationship, and similar story of surviving breast cancer.

For Thea, it happened over the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It was really difficult to find ways to support her while still protecting her from the pandemic," said Hannah. "She was able to successfully beat it and her positivity was really inspiring, even without a lot of in-person support. I was able to talk to her on the phone and hear how she was finding little things to be grateful for amidst having breast cancer."

After multiple rounds of chemo, it took over a year for Thea to be 100 percent cancer free.

"Luckily, treatment was successful, and it was actually her second time beating cancer," said Curtin.

A positive mindset has undoubtedly played a role in allowing Thea to beat cancer twice.
Hannah Curtin and her grandmother

"I don't think it was late stage or caught super early, but it was detected early enough to obviously be able to beat it," said Hannah. "That was great. Knowing she had cancer before, this time though was really scary because of her older age."

But something continued to shine through.

"I think her positivity through the whole thing was a major factor in her being able to beat it," said Hannah. "She's a widow. Her husband died of cancer, and getting cancer the second time, in the middle of a pandemic, was just a crazy series of events."

Hannah's grandfather passed away from cancer before he was 70.

"My grandparents had a great relationship," said Hannah. "They both had cancer at the same time. She got it again, but was able to beat it again.

"It's inspiring."

Something Thea would always tell Hannah before she got cancer was the power of belief.

"Pushing through things with a good mindset makes a world of difference," said Hannah. "Seeing her implement that — actually beating cancer and never hearing her complain, never hearing her be sad about the fact that she couldn't see anyone while she was fighting cancer, then seeing her successfully beat it, just reinforced the idea in the power of belief and being able to push through anything you set your mind to."

Hannah is grateful that her grandmother is still with us. An already close relationship has only grown stronger.

"She has always been my best friend honestly," said Hannah. "I talk to her like I would any other friend and I confide in her anything I'm going through. I am grateful to have her in my life as a resource of support and also, a role model for how to act and how to persevere."

Hannah keeps the power of belief in mind every day.

"I text her every week and try to get on the phone with her at least a few times a month," she said. "When I'm home, I'm always excited to get some ice cream with her. I'm even more appreciative of being able to spend in-person time with her after COVID.

"I'll never forget that moment when the pandemic was over and she beat cancer and I was finally able to give her a hug," Hannah continued. "That personal touch wasn't forgotten amidst everything."

Cancer, including breast cancer, seems to unfortunately touch almost everyone in some way(s). These are two stories that put everything into perspective.

Schedules