Power of Resiliency Speaker: Janet Drummey

Posted On: Wednesday, April 17, 2019

Janet Drummey

I started supporting the PMC about 25 years ago when a colleague was riding and asked for a donation.  My husband and I have supported many riders over the years, including Nancy Cantor.  Each had their own team, supporting some type of cancer research.

  • Life was going well, with its usual ups and downs.  Then a few years ago, my family encountered a condensed period of much illness and death.  Since 2016, my brother in law, age 60, passed away of throat cancer; my cousin, 55, passed away of colon cancer, a friend, of lymphoma.  I was diagnosed and treated for breast cancer, then I had an infection that turned into sepsis.    My family and I are thankful for all the breast cancer research over the years.  (Three aunts had passed away from breast cancer.)   
  • In April of 2017, my husband was diagnosed with AML—Acute myeloid leukemia.  He had immediate hospitalization for 30 days.  Round the clock chemo for 7 days put him into remission.   The leukemia doctor explained that a stem cell transplant would possibly be needed.  My two remaining brothers-in-law agreed to be treated.  One was 100% match!

Another  hospitalization, with  7 days round the clock chemo  kept my husband in remission.  He was then assigned to Dr. Cutler for the stem cell transplant.

  • On July 20, 2017, I was leaving my BNI meeting and happened to mention to Nancy that my husband was having a stem cell transplant that day, so I had to leave right away.  She asked if he knew Dr. Cutler.  I said that he was my husband’s doctor.
  • Because we had been donating to Nancy’s PMC ride,  we had been donating to Dr. Cutler’s Stem Cell Research fund for years, and now we personally have benefitted by the research.  Was that a coincidence?  We think about that often.
  • When George asked Dr. Cutler if he knew Nancy Cantor, he was surprised, and said yes.  George explained.  Dr. Cutler said to George, “you keep donating and I will make you better.”   “I mean that.”  George said, “so do I .”  Best deal he ever made!

He had the stem cell transplant, and was in isolation for much of a year.  It was a long recovery period with many, many restrictions, but we got through it.  He is now at 21 months post stem cell transplant, and he is doing very well.

  • I really did not give too much thought to being resilient.  You do what you have to do.  One foot in front of the other.   I come from a family with strong women.  Some might say that I am a take charge person—problem solver, determined and can manage details. I also have a strong faith and believe in “community”.    
  • Because of the rigid restrictions, there was very little anyone could do for us, so we asked for prayers. We are blessed to have a strong support system of family and friends, neighbors, coworkers, business associates, community members and friends of friends.  Their prayers, love and support helped us to get through the past 2-3 years. We are so fortunate.
  • At the Pan Mass Challenge, August 2017, my husband was in the hospital and I went with some family and friends to the Brewster water stop.  There is no way to adequately  describe in words the feeling when thousands of riders turn the corner.  Riders with shirts with names of survivors, those still fighting, Pictures of loved ones who have passed away.  They are riding up to 192 miles for the cause.

In 2018, I was a  PMC virtual rider (no riding, just fundraising)  on the Stem Cell Cyclist Team and I am doing the same this year.

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