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Laurel Stanley ’68, G’75, the library director for Lyndon State College, lives in Waterford, Vermont with her husband Leo Bisson ‘74, a lawyer. “My husband was a huge support for me through everything,” she says. “I never felt alone doing any of this.” His support began when a routine mammogram revealed that Laurel had a small, tubular carcinoma, a fairly rare cancer occurring in only 1 or 2 percent of breast cancer cases. Although it can metastasize, this cancer usually is slower to do so than more common tumors, so Laurel felt she had time to consider options. She worried, “Did I want to put myself through that surgery and terrible side effects?” She consulted oncologists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, who “told me about the surgeons at UVM/Fletcher Allen.” So, after her lumpectomy surgery, Laurel became a willing candidate for Dr. David Krag’s clinical study on sentinel node biopsy.

The procedure found that her nodes were clear, and Laurel was grateful to avoid surgical dissection of her lymph nodes. Radiation treatments completed in November 1998, however, left her physically depleted. What she calls her “gray, foggy time,” has begun to lift, but she believes researchers need to address radiation fatigue. Recently Laurel and Leo climbed a small mountain — a real and symbolic accomplishment.

Experiences of Alumnae