While River Road Coffee co-owner/caffeine dealer Megan Gooselaw (a.k.a. Bacon) is passionate about her coffee, as a cancer survivor, she is extra passionate about breast cancer awareness and treatment.

She and best friend Kitty DesJardiens will host cancer fundraiser “The Breast Party Ever” Saturday, Oct. 31 at The Emporium (736 Rodeo Drive, Hudson). Doors open at 7 p.m. with music beginning at 8 p.m. The fun includes a costume contest, cash prizes, silent and live auctions and giveaways.

“Kitty recently started a non-profit organization called CAREaoke for the Cure,” Gooselaw said. “CAREaoke uses the power of music and live performance to provide multifaceted support to the Midwest cancer community.”

The Breast Party Ever will feature music from the band Gen-X Jukebox (which DesJardiens is in). They play music from the 90's, every genre, in full costume.

“They are so much fun!” Gooselaw said. “Attendees will have a chance to bid to get up on stage to sing with the band through the live CAREaoke auction! Place your bid, win and get up on stage to sing with a professional band behind you. Not only do you get to live out your rockstar fantasies, there will be a live and silent auction, as well as a costume contest with a $750 cash prize! (90's attire/costumes strongly encouraged!)”

Money raised will go to local people who are currently being treated for breast cancer and could use some help.

“We are hopeful that the funds raised will help people in cancer treatment with some of their non-medical bills,” Gooselaw said. “When you get diagnosed cancer, life doesn't stop. There is still a mortgage to pay, groceries, gas and more. We would like to raise funds to help take away a little stress, so the recipient is able to focus on healing.”

If you know of someone being treated for breast cancer, who could benefit from some assistance, email team@careaoke.com.

Gooselaw’s journey

Gooselaw, who lives near Beldenville with husband Dave “Goose,” was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 30. She had been sick with the flu for a few days in January 2016 when she found something odd.

“My husband and I were lying in bed talking and I had my arms wrapped around my chest. When I got out of my bed, I dropped my hands and my fingertips ran over this small lump in my right breast, way off to the side by my armpit. I had never felt it before, but assumed it might be a swollen lymph node, since I was just getting over a bug,” she said. “Although I was fairly sure it was nothing, I scheduled a doctor's appointment to confirm. On the day of the appointment, I almost cancelled because I didn't want to have to leave work early, but one of my coworkers insisted I go get the lump checked out.”
Her gynecologist assured her the lump was "nothing to worry about." She had no history of the disease in her family. Luckily, rather than sending her home, the doctor decided to order a mammogram, "just to be safe.”

“The mammogram found nothing because I was too young and my breast tissue was too dense. I was then sent for an ultrasound,” Gooselaw said. “The ultrasound revealed that the lump was not a cyst, it was something solid and that was the point I started to panic.”

The technicians told her many solid masses are not cancer; in fact, 8 out of 10 times that is the case. She got a needle biopsy on a Friday to determine what the mass was. The results didn’t arrive until the following Tuesday. It was the longest weekend/Monday of her life.

“On that Tuesday morning, while I was at work, I finally got a call from the breast center. The voice on the other end of the phone was a sweet older woman who told me as gently as possible, ‘there is no easy way to say this, you have breast cancer,’” Gooselaw said. “I was in complete shock and barely remember the drive home from my office.”

She had a lumpectomy to remove the tumor and some surrounding tissue to get clean margins; doctors also removed five lymph nodes from her armpit.

“Since the cancer had not spread to my lymph nodes, I was able to avoid chemotherapy,” Gooselaw said. “I completed 36 rounds of radiation and I was on a hormone therapy medication for five years following my diagnosis.”

Gooselaw admits the diagnosis left her in disbelief. After the shock wore off, she was angry.

“I had overcome many hurdles in my life, but this one hurt. I was also terrified,” she said. “When you are as young as I was, you are not thinking about death or your mortality at all, but a cancer diagnosis puts all of that front and center. You realize that tomorrow is not guaranteed for any of us and life can change in an instant.”

After going through the stages of grief, she became determined to make it through.

“There was no way I was leaving the love of my life, my husband,” she said. “After I made peace with my diagnosis, I got focused on healing and how lucky I felt to be alive. I started noticing all the little things: snow drifting down from the sky, the sound of our dog snoring next to me, my hubby being able to get two coffee cups out each morning, not just one. It became my purpose to notice how beautiful life was and to experience it all as much as possible.”

She credits her husband “Goose” for being the leader of an incredible support network.

“He stood by me every step of the way. He took care of me after surgery and often drove me to my radiation appointments. He also made sure I wasn't pushing too hard or doing too much as I recovered. I never would have made it through the experience without him,” she said. “I also had my mom and great friends. I was very lucky to have an incredibly understanding boss who supported me through the experience and let me dictate when I worked and when I needed to call it for myself and take a rest.”

Gooselaw has been in remission for 10 years. While it seems like long ago, she remembers it like it was yesterday.

“When you are diagnosed with cancer you hit ‘official remission’ after five years without a recurrence. To now be at double that amount of time feels amazing,” she said. “I feel incredibly lucky to be here. It is not lost on me what a gift it is to alive. Not everyone who receives a cancer diagnosis is here to talk about it 10 years later and I feel called to do something to help others in the community.”

Her cancer was caught early, during Stage 1. She wants to use her experience to not only raise awareness, but to give back to others who are facing cancer. She thought a party felt appropriate.

“I've realized how fragile life is and I feel we should celebrate the very fact that we are here. An event filled with friends/neighbors and live music feels like a beautiful way to celebrate being alive and help raise funds for people who need it,” she said.

She encourages women to get mammograms as early detection can save lives.

“Please don't delay scheduling your appointment. Your health matters and you should take the time to get checked out,” Gooselaw urged. “I almost cancelled my appointment and was going to wait to get my lump checked out months later at my yearly exam. I'm so glad I didn't wait.

“I would also encourage women to be familiar with their breasts. Know what they usually feel like, so you can tell if something has changed. Also, advocate for yourself with your doctor. Nobody knows your body better than you. If something doesn't feel right, don't stop until you find someone who will listen.”

More details/donation link for those who can't attend can be found at careaoke.com