HERS Breast Cancer Foundation :: Bras for Body & Soul

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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 >> Susan Pate

By Areeba Abid, Irvington High School Senior

Susan Pate is an incredible art and sculpture teacher at Irvington High School in Fremont, California. She is entirely devoted to her students and believes that her art studio is a special place where her students can learn to communicate with one another through their art. When Ms. Pate first discovered that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer, she was instantaneously overwhelmed with feelings of utter panic. Her older sister had been diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of thirty-five and she passed away when she was only thirty-nine years of age. Although she has a family history of breast cancer, Ms. Pate was astounded to discover that she too had been diagnosed with this detrimental disease. Because her yearly mammograms had never suggested any evidence of breast cancer, Ms. Pate was taken aback by this shocking news and could not fathom how something like this could have suddenly happened.

Even after Ms. Pate learned that she had been diagnosed with DCI (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ), her doctors persistently reassured her by stating that she was going to fully recover, and would not have to undergo the pain of having a mastectomy. However, after the failure of her lumpectomies, the doctors found two other aggressive tumors in her breast, which thus forced her to undergo a mastectomy. But her battle wasn’t over yet; Ms. Pate then had to undergo intense chemotherapy during which she lost all of her hair. She refused to wear a wig because she wanted to remain true to who she was and embrace the reality that she was being forced to endure. Ms. Pate’s intrepid battle with breast cancer left her feeling empowered and her courageous decision to undergo breast reconstruction allowed her to gain back the confidence she had lost.

Although she has a small family, the continuous love and support from her daughter and friends helped her cope during such a difficult time. Despite of all the difficulties that came in her way, Ms. Pate continued to believe that she would get through this. "I always thought that I was going to make it. Although my sister had died from breast cancer, I just kept thinking, 'I don’t think so.' I had a different vision."

Ms. Pate was unable to teach when she was undergoing treatment, but she returned to Irvington on the last week of school. She refused to hide her bald head because she believed that it was important for her students to see what she was going through and not be so frightened of it. The students and teachers at Irvington provided Ms. Pate with unconditional support and dedicated that year’s faculty follies program in her honor. Their constant dedication and support allowed her to feel more comfortable with herself and those around her. The reassurance that she received from her family and doctors made her believe that her treatments would eventually be successful and that she would, indeed, overcome this disease.

Ms. Pate has now been a survivor for the past five and a half years and has continued to teach and inspire her students. Her experience has led her to live a healthier lifestyle and she has learned to take better care of herself. She also began to meditate to enhance her spiritual well-being and relieve her stress, so she could keep focused on the “here and now.” Being diagnosed with breast cancer led Ms. Pate to see the significance of really living in the moment and not worry about what could or could not happen to her. She took this opportunity to step back and focus on what was truly important in her life and let those whom she really loves know how she felt. Today, Ms. Pate continues to share her story with others, so she can spread awareness about breast cancer and make people feel less threatened by it. She encourages women to study their family history and go in for regular mammograms, so the doctors can keep track of the changes that occur in their bodies. Moreover, Ms. Pate emphasizes the importance of educating young women about breast cancer and to share their stories and not feel ashamed of their experiences.