Local Breast Cancer Survivor To Participate In Komen Race For Cure
Posted
Jennifer Peryam-jperyam@timesuniononline.com
WINONA LAKE - Tracey Yeager was diagnosed with breast cancer four years ago, but she has not allowed it to keep her from being physically fit.
Yeager, 41, Winona Lake, will participate with hundreds of other breast cancer survivors and supporters of breast cancer awareness in the first annual Northern Indiana Susan G. Komen Race For The Cure.
The 5K walk/race is April 26 at 10 a.m. at the Mishawaka riverfront.
Those who participate in the race and walk raise funds and awareness for the fight against breast cancer, celebrate breast cancer survivorship, and honor those who have lost their battle with the disease.Approximately 75 percent of funds earned from the race will stay and benefit Northern Indiana.
The race and walk is a 5K run and walk for people of all ages and fitness levels. People from Kosciusko County also are invited to participate in the race. The race includes 26 counties with some of the cities including Warsaw, Fort Wayne, South Bend, Elkhart and Plymouth.
Jen Craig, a Yeager family member, has a team participating in the 5K walk in honor of Tracey called Tracey's Team that other local people will be participating in.
"The race is a way of pulling us all together and making something special out of a trial and difficulty, and hopefully I will encourage others through the trial," Tracey said.
Tracey said she is a marathon runner and a triathlete and she ran the American Cancer Society run in Chicago last October. She will participate in the Indianapolis half-marathon walk in May.
Tracey is not the only one in her family who has breast cancer. Her grandmother, Helen Kine, also had breast cancer.
Tracey and her husband, Steve, have been married 14 years and have three children: Jack, 5; Rachel, 7; and Samuel, 9.
Tracey and her husband served in the Navy and met at Annapolis United States Naval Academy in 1989. They were in the Navy for 10 years following their training at Annapolis where Tracey served as a lieutenant and Steve served as a lieutenant commander.
Steve flew F-14 Tom Cat Jets in the Navy and Tracey flew the CH46 Sea Knight helicopter.
The couple married in 1995. Her commitment in the Navy was up in 1999, and they had their first child, Samuel. Steve completed his Navy commitment in 2000, and they moved back to Winona Lake that fall.
The couple was pregnant with their daughter, Rachel, when they moved back to Winona Lake. Then they had Jack.
On March 7, 2005, at age 37 Tracey found a lump in her breast and was diagnosed with breast cancer at Warsaw Women's Center.
"It seemed pretty surreal at first, but we are strong believers and we felt there was a reason for me being diagnosed with breast cancer and we needed to find that reason," Tracey said.
She said her comfort came from the support her family provided her.
"I knew breast cancer was something we could learn a lot about and fight and grow during that time," Tracey said.
Tracey received seven months of chemotherapy, multiple major surgeries, and radiation at IU Medical Center, Indianapolis.
There was a two-year period when she received checkups. The cancer reoccurred in summer 2007 at stage four that spread to other parts of her body. Since then she has heightened monitoring treatment and is not clear of breast cancer at this point, and still receives treatment in Goshen once a month.
"I want to use my experience for God and to help others. I feel terrific and you could pass me by and have no idea that I have breast cancer," Tracey said.
"We were trained in the military and all of the training we went through, my battle with cancer is the hardest battle I have had to fight."
Yeager said God, her family, friends and church congregation at Christ's Covenant Church, Winona Lake, have supported her and her family.
"We've received incredible support from family and friends and developed a number of close relationships solely because of this trial," Tracey said.
Steve created a Web site for Tracey online at www.caringbridge.org/visit/traceyyeager to update local friends and family and people around the country they have met.
Race day registration is April 26 from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.; race day packet pick-up is from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; opening ceremonies with a survivors rally is at 8:30 a.m.; the 5k run and walk race start is at 10 a.m.; and the survivor celebration and race awards are at 11 a.m.
Ann Amico Moran, walk chairwoman, said there are currently 20 teams registered for the race. She encourages men, women, and children to participate in the race.
She said a team must consist of 10 members and those under 18 must be accompanied by a guardian. Moran said some examples of teams include corporate teams, church and sports teams. There are 120 races nationwide.
She said people from Tennessee, Florida, Illinois, and Michigan have made a commitment to participate in the race in Mishawaka.
She said those who register for the race receive a free t-shirt and are encouraged to raise funds prior to the race.
Moran said she is honored to be this year's chairwoman because her grandmother died from breast cancer and her husband's mother died from breast cancer at age 35.
For more information about the race or to register to participate, visit www.komennorthernindiana.org
