Heather Zuzo: 'I am now a one-year survivor'

Heather Zuzo, Maitri Uniontown pharmacist, one year after her breast cancer diagnosis

My family was on vacation and I was at work the day I received the call that I had breast cancer. If I couldn’t be with my immediate family, I was right where I needed to be for that call. I was surrounded by love and support. I don’t want to use the terms boss, coworker, or patient. That’s not how I see those around me that day--you are my friends and my family.

A friend told me that she felt that I “embraced” my diagnosis. I still think about that statement. Cancer was a hard word to hear. I didn’t feel different--how could something so horrible be happening in my body? But it was. I saw the mammogram picture myself and knew somehow before they said the words. So I accepted it and said I was not going to be sick and die. I was going to fight--for me, my family, my friends.

I was blessed to have such strong support. My healthcare team was fabulous: Dr. Sharon Goldstein, Dr. Hyoung Kim, UPMC Cancer Center in Norwin, Dr. Fulcinetti, and Dr. Jurewicz. Things move at a whirlwind pace. My advice for others is to ask questions, be informed, and be your own advocate!  Working at Maitri has been unbelievable! There was a plan in place in case I got sick. Whether it was an encouraging word, a hug, or an ear to listen, they had my back. I never had to doubt that!

I used medical marijuana throughout my treatment. I took capsules to get a long-acting effect and supplemented them with fast-acting vape pens for nausea and anxiety. I looked for strains high in terpinolene for anxiety and anti-cancer effects, limonene for its antidepressant properties and beta caryophellene for aches and pains. I won’t lie--treatments were tough, especially the first three months. But I found a dose of medical marijuana that worked for me and kept all the chemotherapy and radiation side effects to a minimum. 

Don’t be afraid to celebrate your milestones. Mine were time increments. I counted down the weeks, number of treatments, and appointments. That was my way of staying sane and in control. I celebrated each time. 

I reached another milestone this week. I had my first mammogram since my cancer diagnosis. The results were normal. I am now a one-year survivor!