HERS Breast Cancer Foundation :: Bras for Body & Soul

FAQs

The HERS Breast Cancer Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, provides programs and services supporting the needs of women and families affected by breast cancer in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Bras for Body & Soul®, a program of the HERS Breast Cancer Foundation, provides medically necessary items such as bras, prosthesis, lymphedema sleeves, wigs and more, to women who have had breast surgery. We also carry bras appropriate for all women and girls, including nursing bras.

Tributes >> Beth Rothfuss

By Areeba Abid, Irvington High School Senior

Beth Rothfuss is an inspirational and dedicated math teacher at Irvington High School in Fremont, California. This is her eleventh year teaching at Irvington High School, where she continues to encourage her students to reach their highest potential. “My mission in life is to pass on my love of mathematics to my students.” Shortly, after one of her regular medical check-ups, Ms. Rothfuss received a phone call that would change the course of her life. When her doctor told her that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer, she was in utter shock. She immediately fell apart and could not believe that this was happening to her. She had just gone in for a regular check-up and now they were telling her that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer! It all just seemed to be too unreal.

“My doctor called me up and said, ‘You have breast cancer, but is the good kind,” and I was sitting there going, there is a good kind?” Fortunately, Ms. Rothfuss’s cancer was detected in the earliest stage, thus sparing her from suffering the agony of undergoing a mastectomy. Even though Ms. Rothfuss was told that she had a ninety-eight percent chance of surviving, just knowing that she had breast cancer made her dwell upon it for every second of the day. She was not as petrified of dying, as she was concerned about leaving behind her husband and kids. The thought of not being there to watch her children grow older was simply unbearable. This was something that changed everything, it changed her life.

However, with the support of her family and friends, Ms. Rothfuss was able to successfully overcome the challenges that were thrown her way. Three years prior to her diagnosis, Ms. Rothfuss’s mother had been diagnosed with the same exact kind of breast cancer. Just knowing what her mother had gone through and being able to talk to her during such a difficult journey was instrumental in her recovery. Moreover, Ms. Rothfuss’s sister-in-law, who had also been diagnosed with breast cancer a year earlier, gave her the Breast Book, which helped her understand the physical and emotional changes that she was going through. The value of courage and support displayed by her compassionate family members helped Ms. Rothfuss believe that she could overcome this debilitating disease.

While undergoing treatment, Ms. Rothfuss was careful about her nutrition and physical health. With the help of Ms. Pate, a fellow teacher who is also a breast cancer survivor, she was able to better cope with the illness during school. Through out her treatment process, Ms. Rothfuss was deeply concerned about losing her job. She was afraid that her energy levels would fluctuate, and that she wouldn’t be able to provide her students with the same attention and care as she had done so in the past. However, she refused to let her illness take over her life. She continued to teach everyday and would then to get her radiation treatment. Although she was physically exhausted, Ms. Rothfuss was unwilling to give up what she truly loved, which was motivating her students to love and properly understand mathematics.

Furthermore, Ms. Rothfuss immediately told her students about her diagnosis because she felt that it was important for them to be aware about it. Her students instantaneously displayed their concern and one student even went as far as offering her hair as a donation, if Ms. Rothfuss had to undergo chemotherapy. "It was amazing to see how much concern they showed. Some people say that you should take it easy and stay at home, but for me, I needed to be here. I needed to be with my students because they helped me to keep going and going and they kept me distracted. I didn’t want to stay at home and say 'I have cancer, I have cancer.' At school, I had my students who were a key part in helping me get through my treatment." Ms. Rothfuss courageously overcame breast cancer and refused to let it control her life. She entered and finished her journey with a positive mindset and faced her challenges head-on.