As her mother writhed in agony from the effects of
ovarian cancer in 2005, Ilene Winters pondered her options.
"When traumatic things happen, you have to do
something," said Winters of Long Branch. "You
can go one of two ways: just sit around and wallow,
or do something constructive. I thought, "Well,
I can't do anything for my mother now, but I can do
something for other people with cancer.' "
Cissie Winters succumbed to cancer in July 2006, but
her memory — and those of other cancer victims — is
alive at the new Wellness Community chapter on Hope
Road in Eatontown. Inspired by Cissie's death, Ilene
quit her sales director job on Wall Street and helped
raise over $400,000 over a 2 1/2-year period to make
the center a reality.
On May 15, The Diney Goldsmith Center opened its door
to residents of Monmouth and Ocean counties affected
by cancer. The new 3,800-square-foot facility offers
support, education and hope through a wide range of
programs, overseen by licensed professionals.
Winters, 47, said seeing the center open was "simply
overwhelming."
"For 2 1/2 years, it was just a pie-in-the-sky
thing," said Winters, founder and executive director. "Then,
all of a sudden, you have the furniture and the refrigerator
and the people coming in and it's just an incredible
feeling. The whole experience has been pretty cathartic
for me. It's the path I chose. It's my way of getting
through it."
Inspired by husband
Joanne Scesa of Oceanport wondered many times if she
was going to be able to get through it. Diagnosed with
Stage 3 melanoma on June 10, 1998, Scesa found great
inspiration in words from her husband, Bob.
"He told me I'm the strongest person he knows
and I can beat this thing," said Scesa, 40. "That
was important to me, coming from him. I never thought
of myself as a strong person, but after he said that
I was determined to live up to it." When doctors
told Scesa that she had melanoma, her first thoughts
were of her 5-month old son, Connor.
"I thought, "My God, who is going to take
care of him,' " Scesa said. "All sorts of
gloom and doom scenarios flashed through my mind. I
thought, "I have got to make funeral plans, get
a will, get my life in order.' It was just so terrible."
Scesa had surgery to remove the cancer from her lymph
nodes and was put on an interferon treatment program.
It was not very effective, so Scesa took a bold step
and enrolled in a clinical trial for an experimental
cancer vaccine at the John Wayne Cancer Institute in
California.
The trial stretched out over three months and the
treatment and cross-country travel were very grueling.
Scesa worried that she was missing out on key moments
in Connor's early development.
But the vaccine proved to be a Godsend.
"Clearly, something worked for me," said
Scesa. "I don't know quite what it was, but I
am very thankful. I have not had a recurrence in nine
years and I feel wonderful."
The Wellness Community program has four core components:
support groups, educational workshops, mind/body classes
and social events. All of the services are free.
Jan Tryba, program director, said the core of the
model for the Wellness Community is group work.
"We really believe that bringing people together
reduces the sense of isolation and gives people hope," said
Tryba, of Freehold. "The people feel safe, understood,
empowered and they learn from each other. It is much
easier to share with someone who has had a similar
experience because they have the same level of understanding.
Teaching about illness and ways to cope with it gives
people control."
Scesa said she is very appreciative of all the resources
and services offered at the Wellness Community.
"It is nice to come here and talk about issues
that not everyone cares about that are so important
to your life," Scesa said. "The idea behind
the Wellness Community is to do everything your doctor
can't do. You have so much here in the way of exercise
classes, yoga, medication and nutritional programs.
It is everything a person needs to stay well."
These days, Scesa measures her progress by Connor,
who turned 9 in January. Doctors gave Scesa two to
five years to live in 1998 and she has overcome the
odds, relishing the milestone moments in her children's
lives. Her second son, Shannon, was born in 2002.
"When Connor went to kindergarten I didn't think
I would ever see that day," Scesa said. "As
I was walking home, I started crying. I couldn't help
myself. I was just so overwhelmed. Every day is a blessing
for me now. I just pray that the cancer won't come
back."
Michael Amsel (732) 557-5733 or mamsel@app.com |
