Here at Wheeling Park, there are multiple advocates for Breast Cancer Awareness. Three of whom include Mrs. Farrow, Mr. Leggett, and Brandon “Tiny” D’Accione. With October being Breast Cancer Awareness month, they shared their personal experiences to spread awareness. Mrs. Farrow and Mrs. Lindsay Leggett, Mr. Leggett’s wife, both beat breast cancer in 2022. Tiny’s mother beat breast cancer in 2023.
Mrs. Farrow was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 32, while the average age for women is 60. “You wouldn’t think, you know?” Mrs. Farrow said. “I had a biopsy, but going through that process, I was thinking it’s just preventative.” She discovered her results during a teacher meeting through MyWVUChart, and quickly left bringing Mrs. Mamakos.
Mrs. Farrow’s support systems included her family, co-workers, and working out.
“Even here, just being at Park with the Social Studies Department,” Mrs. Farrow said. “One day they left a card on my desk. Just things like that made it easier.” She even kept her mind occupied the day she had to officially get diagnosed. “I knew what they were going to tell me but I was just in the gym lifting weights,” Mrs. Farrow said.
Mrs. Farrow underwent a bilateral mastectomy and five total biopsies. She has been cancer-free for over a year.
Mrs. Leggett found a lump while on vacation and began screening herself.
“It was probably the second week of school,” Mr. Leggett said. “I got the phone call after her second appointment and the test came back cancerous.” Her type was estrogen-driven and estrogen-positive, meaning it could spread very quickly. “There’s a lot of different types of breast cancers out there,” Mr. Leggett said. “I just always thought breast cancer was breast cancer, but there’s hundreds of different types.”
The couple’s support system included each other, their parents, and Ohio County Schools. “We have two young kids as well and their grandparents helped out a ton with just helping watch the kids and getting them to school,” Mr. Leggett said. “Ohio County Schools was awesome towards me too, letting me take the days that I needed to be with her and help her through her recovery.”
Mrs. Lindsay Leggett underwent chemo, radiation, multiple surgeries, and medication. She has been in remission for almost a year.
Tiny’s mother was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer in January 2023. “It took about a month or two for her to get an appointment,” D’Accione said. “They told her she had it, then they quickly started the process from there.” Tiny’s main priority from that point forward was to help his mom. “I missed a lot of school visiting the week of the surgery because visit times are during school,” D’Accione said. “I did all the housework and I would make her food.”
Tiny and his brother, Ben, were able to support their mom because of their own support team. “All my friends were gentle with me and we were even able to support her during lacrosse,” D’Accione said. “The whole team got pink socks and pink accessories to wear every game day, and we had a big ceremony where we gave her a pink rose.”
Tiny’s mother underwent a double mastectomy. She has been cancer-free since spring.
Cancer is a mental battle as well as physical, so it is important to help take care of the well-being of anyone experiencing anything similar to our advocates. “Even though it’s cliche, and I kind of hate to say it but it’s true: You have to stay positive,” Mrs. Farrow said. “If you’re a religious person, fall back on that. Keep doing your normal activities because I do think half the battle is mental actually.”
“I think it really helped my wife to reach out to people that have been through it,” Mr. Leggett said. “Just hearing that there’s light at the end of the tunnel and hearing from everyone’s experiences. Everyone kind of goes through it their own way but having that support system as she went through it really helped her out.”
This October, make sure to wear pink and not procrastinate any possible medical checkups. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
