Former cancer patient: be aware

Milam had two different forms of cancer in a three-year span. She encourages everyone to have check ups on a regular basis.

When Gayle Milam decided to accompany her pregnant daughter to a doctor’s appointment three years ago, she had no idea her life was about to be changed forever.

Milam said the doctor advised her to have tests done because she had been experiencing cancer-like symptoms. Her results showed that she had ovarian cancer. Three years later, Milam would again be faced with cancer when she was diagnosed with colon cancer.

“I was in denial and then I went through the angry stage and then guilt,” said Milam, who works in accounting and payroll at Dublin Park. “I was in denial that this can’t be happening to me and then I started blaming myself for it.”

Milam had a hysterectomy 10 days after her first cancer diagnosis. Her grandmother and aunt also had ovarian cancer.

This past summer, after becoming sick again and loosing a substantial amount of weight, which she first attributed to stress, Milam had a colonoscopy. The test results found adenoma polyps, which are pre-malignant. A few weeks later, Milam had colon resection surgery and is now cancer free.

“God was my rock,” she said. “My three-year-old grandson who had Wilms’ cancer, and if he could go through what he went through and make it, and I can’t, then I don’t need to be here.”

Milam said the cancer research over the last 10 years has changed people’s lives. She said 10 years ago, only people over age 50 would be the ones to get a colonoscopy, but now, research has informed more people about cancer and the importance of check-ups.

“Cancer is everywhere and if we all become an advocate of this and support the research, we can fight it,” she said. “We have to take care of ourselves and demand, that doctors take care of us. Through research, we can get rid of it.”

Milam served as co-chair in this year’s Relay for Life. She participated in the survivors’ walk for the first time. She described it as a moment that would impact her for the rest of her life.

“I really didn’t feel like I should walk the lap at first,” she said. “Those women had gone through chemo and radiation and I didn’t feel I was deserving of that. But, the minute that ribbon was cut and I took that first step, my entire life change. The emotion and passion you feel is just incredible.”

Milam said her mission is simply to raise awareness on the importance of pretesting for cancer.

Cancer doesn’t matter your age, race, religion or sex, it’s a very ugly disease,” she said. “It can get anyone and we won’t stop fighting until there is a cure.”