Dorothy: [00:00:00] Having a big sister means many things, but for this young man, losing that sister created a hole in his world that he could not fill. Listen to the hundreds of lives who have been touched because of one woman’s fight with Inflammatory Breast Cancer and one brother’s determination to make sure that it didn’t happen to another young woman.
Let’s Talk About Your Breast. A different kind of podcast presented to you by The Rose. The Breast Center of Excellence and a Texas treasure. You’re going to hear frank discussions about tough topics. And you’re going to learn why knowing about your breast could save your life. Join us as we hear another story and we answer those tough questions that you may have.
I’m Dorothy Gibbons and I’m the CEO and co founder of The Rose and we’re here to talk about your breast. Today we have with us [00:01:00] one amazing young man who has been a part of The Rose’s life for quite a while and he’s here to talk about some— Something he did that has brought so much awareness to young women especially, and to other folks who are interested in breast cancer in total. So, Daniel, I know you’re a, you’re an engineer, you’re working oil and gas, and, but your main, besides Danny, your main love is running, right?
Daniel: That’s right.
Dorothy: So, and, I mean, you’ve had quite a successful history of running. Tell me the the marathons that you’ve been in.
Daniel: Oh, yeah. Thank you Dorothy. Um, Yeah, run has been a big part of my life, uh since about 2005 And and coincidentally the year that my sister was diagnosed with with breast cancer Uh, I started running at work with a group of older guys, you know at the time I guess I was, you know Mid 20s and they were in their uh, probably 50s or [00:02:00] so, so I thought you know, let me let me go out for a run with these guys. And uh, yeah, so since 2005 i’ve been uh, I think i’ve run, you know upwards of about 20 years 22 or 23 marathons and, you know, a handful of, a lot of half marathons and five K’s and 10 K’s and, um, all that good stuff even did, uh, one, uh, 50 miler, uh, unsanctioned 50 miler. But, uh, you know, I did, uh, So, you know, three mile loop, I did a 50 mile run there. Um, but then of course, you know, 30 Fran, which is a 30 mile run.
Dorothy: Right. Wow. Wow. So tell us, tell us a little bit about Ana.
Daniel: Sure. So, uh, obviously Ana, Ana Baron Garcia, my sister. Uh, she was about six years older than me. Um, she, you know, she was the second oldest of, of, uh, for, uh, four kids. Um, and me being the youngest. So to me, she was, you know, you know, besides my mom and my other sister, she was also like, kind of like a mother figure to me, right? She was always looking out for me. Um, you know, always, [00:03:00] um, always just, you know, a caretaker, right? With not just me, but just all kids and family in general.
She was like a life of the party. Um, You know, whenever anybody met her, you know, they were just drawn to her laughter, her sense of humor, just her overall ability to just take care of people. Um, so she was, she was a big, you know, part of our family. Um, you know, just like, you know, my sister, my brother, but, you know, she was just, it was something about her being the oldest and, you know, um, knowing, you know, how to, to baby me. I always say she spoiled me because she did quite spoil me, but she, uh, You know, she was married, um, she’d been married, you know, I can’t, I don’t know how long, but had two kids, uh, Maverick and, um, the youngest and BriAna, the oldest. Um, but yeah, so she’s, like I said, she was just life of the party. She was just, everybody loved her and everybody wanted to be around her.
Dorothy: So like you said, it was in 2005 when she was diagnosed, but it took a while for her to get that diagnosis of inflammatory breast cancer.
Daniel: That’s right. So she [00:04:00] was, so Maverick was born in, uh, I think July of 2004. And, uh, Ana was diagnosed in May of, uh, May 5th, 2005. Coincidentally her husband’s, uh, birthday. Um, so, and I know, you know, inflammatory breast cancer, breast cancer, it, it starts with a rash or, um, some discoloration, um, around the breast. And, uh, so I think her initial, uh, doctor diagnosed it as, uh, just mastitis or I think like a, a rash. I think of what it was. And they told her, um, you know, or maybe it was like they told her maybe it was your detergent or something, you know, so just change it up.
And, uh, so I think it went misdiagnosed for like, I think twice. Um, not until she came into The Rose is when, when they realized what it was.
Dorothy: Yeah. And, and that’s not uncommon because, uh, usually inflammatory breast cancer is found most often in women under 40. Most often in very young women, and it always appears just like a rash. And so the immediate diagnosis is often, Oh, well, that’s some kind of [00:05:00] dermatitis. Let’s, let’s put some antibiotic on it or some cream. But it is also one of the rarest cancers. It, there’s less than 5 percent of all the cancers that are inflammatory. And not even 2,500 women a year are diagnosed with it, but it’s a very aggressive one.
In fact, At the time of diagnosis, it’s actually considered almost metastatic. I mean, it’s been there, you don’t see it, it’s so insidious, it’s, yeah. So she, and, you know, I just want to mention something you said that was very important. She had just had a baby, and we find most cancer in young women within the two years after they had a baby.
So it’s just so important, you, there’s so many changes that go on in the breast at that time. And here’s a, here’s a rash, and you know, you just think, oh well, it’s just the changes. So, we just want to keep beating that home. You know, if you find something, it needs to be checked.
Daniel: That’s [00:06:00] right.
Dorothy: So, we diagnosed her, and, and I have to intersect here because Ana was very important to us. We had just started our, had it about a year, our young women’s clinic. For And it was four women under 40. It had a special program for them. Ana came and she was our very first young woman to be diagnosed. And it was like, ah, ah.
Daniel: Right. And she was 30. She was diagnosed. So, I mean, that was just, I think about that now, you know, I’m 41 and just to think that, you know, her life was cut short at, you know, just five years later after she was diagnosed at 35 and just like, wow, you know, um, She didn’t live past 35. It’s just, it’s just kind of, uh, it’s just hard to imagine, you know, so it’s just, it’s, it’s, it’s unreal though for sure being so young.
Dorothy: And I can echo what you were saying about her personality. Even when she was having chemotherapy, going through all of her treatment, she was the first one to volunteer to be out there with us as an [00:07:00] advocate for young women.
I mean, it was just amazing where she found that strength and, and energy, and, you know, the willingness for her to be out there. And when, when other young women would see her, they’d go, well, it does happen to young women. So she was an incredible, um, resource. In that education part for us and of course when she got to the end stages of of the treatment. It wasn’t really Working and right. Yeah, and so when did she die?
Daniel: She was with us for five years and she passed away on may 17th Uh 2010 so it was almost you know, five years to the day. It wasn’t until um, I would say november of 2009 is whenever we saw her like really uh deteriorating like her her condition. And, um, and that’s when the, uh, the doctors at MD Anderson just basically said there’s, there’s nothing else we could do. Um, so they’re just going to have to, um, suggest home hospice for her and, uh, [00:08:00] sorry.
And uh, I just, I think of the story that Gerry tells her, her husband when the doctor told him that on the way home from the hospital, she said, you know, what does hospice mean? What does that mean? She, she didn’t know it.
And so, fortunately, um, it was going to be home hospice, wasn’t going to be in a facility. And so, you know, luckily enough, Gerry was, um, you know, he’s self employed. So he was able to, um, make her comfortable at home. And of course, you know, we were there, um, you know, day in and day out, um, just, you know, taking care of her as much as we could.
And, uh, so from, I guess it was December 2009 until, uh, It was like a week or a few days before she passed away. She was at home and then it was, uh, I still remember and she, you know, she eventually had to get [00:09:00] moved to, um, facility the last couple days. ’cause, ’cause you know, that was the kid— that was the house that the kids are gonna live in. So it was just kind of, okay, let’s move her to a facility for, you know, a couple days. And she moved to the Houston Hospice, um, right there near MD Anderson. And, uh, I, I remember that I, I was there that night when the ambulance came to take her and it was like, it was just the most unreal thing because it was like, it was at night and the sky just opened up and just poured and poured.
I mean, it was like torrential downpours and I mean, it was literally flooding. And we got to the hospice and yeah, so she spent her last few days there at the hospice and I live nearby there in the medical center and it was a few days later, it was you know, two or three in the morning, uh, we got a text, you know, saying that my sister had passed away.
But that day that she passed away, it was the most beautiful day that, uh, that you can imagine. It was, you know, blue, you know, [00:10:00] clear skies. It was cool, crisp day. Even, you know, even in the fact that it was may, it was a, it was a, it’s a beautiful day. So it was just, and she was ready. It was, it was time. And, and the, another kind of story behind it is my sister, other sister was pregnant.
Um, at the time and, uh, five days before Ana passed away, my sister had a baby and they named her Ana. So Ana now is, I guess, uh, 12, 12 years old. Um, so, you know, so she holds Ana’s name and, uh, so that was just, uh, you know, another just remarkable, uh, thing. Um, you know, like I said, the day she passed away, it was just a beautiful day.
And then, uh, Yeah, so it’s, it’s heartbreaking to talk about and think about it, but, um, you know, she gave us, you know, after she was diagnosed five years and, you know, she was just, even those, you know, that last, you know, few months we had with her, she was still, you know, the life of the party making, trying to make us laugh and stuff like that. So, um, yeah, so it’s, it’s a, it’s a tough story. It’s, uh, you know, even 12 years later. It’s tough to tell, but, [00:11:00] um, you know, I’m happy that I’m able to tell her story.
Dorothy: Right, right. And just share how much it impacted the entire family.
Daniel: Sure.
Dorothy: Yeah, we always say breast cancer isn’t an individual disease.
Daniel: Right.
Dorothy: It’s a family disease.
Daniel: Right.
Dorothy: Now, Ana knew that she had a namesake, right?
Daniel: Oh, yes. Well, she knew that, yeah, my sister was going to name her, uh, Ana. Um, but, um, And she actually got to meet her. So, uh, my sister had her baby and, and obviously she was a newborn, but at that time, Ana was already, um, you know, unresponsive and, you know, couldn’t talk and, you know, barely open her eyes, but she, uh, my sister brought her to, to meet, you know, her aunt and I met Ana and, you know, my sister was, was laying there in the, in the bed and they held hands and, you know, she was able to touch her, to touch her face.
And, um, it seemed like, um, To us, it seemed like that’s what she was waiting for. Um, that’s why she held on for, for so long because she knew that, um, my sister was going to have a baby and she wanted to meet [00:12:00] her.
Dorothy: Oh, what a precious story.
Daniel: Yeah.
Dorothy: Yeah, it really is. So you are dealing with her grief and you’re a young man.
I mean, you, you haven’t had a lot of grief or a lot of death in your family.
Daniel: That was, that was a huge blow to the family for sure.
Dorothy: Yeah. I know it took some time to work through it. But what gave you the idea to start something in her honor?
Daniel: It actually gave me the inspiration. There were other runners that were doing fundraisers and running miles and miles and miles and raising money for different charities and stuff like that. So I thought, well, let me kind of do the same thing. You know, here I am running just for fun. And yeah, I’m using my sister’s, um, her story and it’s motivated me to run. Let me just try to, uh, to do a little something more. And, um, so 2012, myself, my sister, and, uh, Gerry, and my bro— my brother, John, um, we decided to, uh, to put a run a run together where we were running 30 miles from M. D. [00:13:00] Anderson there in the medical center to Grandview Cemetery where she’s buried. And, um, just, again, just to obviously, uh, keep her, her memory alive, but also help, you know, raise money for, for women that, that need it. Because, I mean, Ana, Ana took advantage of The Rose and, and the services they were able to offer.
And so, yeah, so it was just like, well, here I am running all these miles, let me put it to even better use. And so, yeah, so we came up with the idea and, uh, the last two years we’ve raised over $200,000. And uh . So, and we’ve, we’ve, we’ve gone from a really big event to now a little smaller and, you know, I’m trying to look, look towards the future of, um, what we can do differently to, uh, to make the event even bigger.
Dorothy: Yes, and, and that the funds that you’ve raised have served have gone to Young Women’s Health and Services and it’s meant so much. But, you know, Daniel, you almost just kind of went over that 30 miles. Like it is nothing. I mean it that is an incredible run that is it that’s [00:14:00] born a marathon That’s more. Yes.
Daniel: Right, right.
Dorothy: And and so it starts at MD Anderson very early in the morning Then then you go to—
Daniel: so from MD Anderson Like I said, she spent her last few days at Houston Hospice, which is just you know, not too far from MD Anderson And we stopped there and just kind of remember her. And then, um, we, uh, we had basically to this way to the, to The Rose, uh, which is, you know, basically 20 miles down the road and, uh, we stopped here at The Rose and you guys are always here to greet us and, uh, you know, take photos. And. Um, and then from The Rose, we head to, uh, um, Grandview Cemetery there in Deer Park.
Dorothy: And so I want, I want folks to understand that this is not a huge run. There’s not a hundred people involved. It’s about—
Daniel: I mean, now, like I said, it’s, it’s, it’s kind of dwindled down. Um, and I’m trying to, trying to figure out what the best solution is to, to, to make a little bigger.
Um, so now it’s, it’s, it’s basically down to me, my sister and kind of how we started. We started as just the family doing it and, uh, it’s, [00:15:00] it’s kind of back down to that. But. Again, I have plans for the future of hopefully making it something bigger, um, even if it’s, if it’s, uh, me still doing the 30 miles in her memory, but also maybe, uh, doing a 5k of some sort, you know, where we can have more participation.
Um, cause there, in the past, there was a lot more people who wanted to, to, uh, to do the run, but we’re limited on our resources. And we, we had to say, okay, well, everybody had to run together. So if we do a 5k, more people can come out. I would, we can, you know, have a lot more support, more people to participate, whether they walk, they run or whatever they want to do. So that’s kind of my, uh, hopefully near future.
Dorothy: I knew you had big plans. I didn’t realize that was it. Yeah.
Daniel: So that’s kind of, uh, the near. Hopefully near future of, of, of, uh, what I kind of want to turn it, turn into.
Dorothy: I so remember, uh, cause it was only about 30 people. I mean, you know, that were running the, the first time I ever got to watch this and, uh, and not all of them could run the 30 miles. They did it in splits and yeah.
Daniel: They were able to split up their mileage, like five mile [00:16:00] increments or whatever it was.
Dorothy: And your mom and dad were in there. 30 For Ana truck that was all covered in pink, uh, following alongside you and that great, great, is it Pasadena policemen that always goes with you?
Daniel: Yeah, it was one of my cousins who would, uh, who would support our, our run and, and uh, kind of keep us safe there on the road.
Dorothy: Yeah. Yeah. Real family affair.
Daniel: It was, it was.
Dorothy: And I remember Maverick running. But he only did a little bit, only did a little bit. So what year was it that he, he actually almost made, or made a lot of miles?
Daniel: I mean, I think he ended up running 20 miles at one point. I mean, he was only, um, so he was, he was five when, uh, when Ana passed away. And then I think he was probably 10 or 11. So, um, yeah, almost like eight years ago or so, uh, he ran 20 miles.
Dorothy: Wow.
Daniel: Here he is at 10 years old and. I mean, is it the best thing to do, best thing for a 10 year old to do. No, but you know, he split up his miles and he would run a little bit [00:17:00] and then he would get in the car and he’d run a little bit more.
And, um, he made it a long way. So, I mean, you know, he was, you know, using his, uh, His mom is his motivation, you know, to, to get them going to run all those miles, which is incredible.
Dorothy: It is absolutely. And I also remember that, you know, after the end at the cemetery, everyone gathers around her grave. And I mean, there could be 50 people there just that come out to cheer you on the last few miles and, and to be there with you. And, and I, I will never forget the first time when Maverick went over and touched the gravestone and said, Hi, Mama.
Daniel: Right. Yeah. And, and, you know, that’s just. Uh, all the, all the support we had is just a testament of, of, again, like I touched on earlier of how Ana just touched so many lives and she was, you know, just, uh, fun to be around.
And, you know, we have a great family, great friends, and, you know, they’re always there to support us, so. And they’ve supported us through all the years, you know, so without our family and friends, you know, we wouldn’t have been able to raise that much money or, or keep her, her memory [00:18:00] alive.
Dorothy: That’s so true. So true. But you did more than that. Because you’ve been on dozens of interviews, TV, radio, media, newspaper, and it, you always took that opportunity not just to talk about the race, but to talk about inflammatory breast cancer. And at the time that Ana was diagnosed, actually there wasn’t a lot of information out there about it.
It was, because it’s such a rare cancer, of course, but it’s still one that we have to catch early. It used to be that it was, if you lived that five years with advanced inflammatory breast cancer, that was good. Now it has, it has extended. We have much longer life. As long as we can get it found and diagnosed for what it is, uh, and get into treatment.
So I, you know, I’ve always [00:19:00] appreciated that you were willing to share her story because it makes it real. It’s not just, here’s a symptom, it makes it real. It’s a young woman whose life was cut short, kids behind, and a family that just adored her. Yeah, so you bring her alive every time that you do this, we appreciate that.
So what is it you would want, what’s the one thing you would want young women to know today?
Daniel: Yeah, I mean, so it’s, it’s, uh Knowing, uh, knowing your body, obviously, um, knowing the signs, um, and like we know, I mean, because of inflammatory breast cancer, you know, breast cancer doesn’t always just start with a lump, you know, if there’s any kind of, uh, anything abnormal that you see or that you feel, um, then, you know, just, you know, know that you need to get checked out. Right. Um, and, and, and, you know, you guys stress that a [00:20:00] lot. But I mean, I think, you know, um, It’s stressed out there a lot, you know in the community. I mean people people know It just seems like now there’s you know, cancer is so prominent I mean, they’re just all different types. So I think people are more aware of well If they notice something’s wrong, so I mean I think it’s just it’s knowing your body and knowing what’s um, You know, what’s not normal is is the best way to handle it, you know And if something doesn’t look normal then go get it checked out
Dorothy: So again, uh 12 years ago, that wasn’t the case. So, you know, it was so wonderful to have that opportunity to share to share Ana’s story. You know, now you have a daughter And uh, does it ever cross your mind that she may be carrying this?
Daniel: Um. Along with everything else that’s going on in the world. I mean, there’s it’s there’s a lot of stuff that crossed my mind. But um, yeah, that’s definitely um, you know, we— And it’s hard to say though because we didn’t have a family history of of cancer. Um. And so it was [00:21:00] totally unexpected when my sister was diagnosed.
And so I’m, I’m hopeful that it isn’t anything that’s, uh, that runs in the family, but yeah, it’s crossed my mind a little bit. And, um, you know, I can’t say, you know, obviously she’s still young now, but, um, it’s, it’s happening in young and young, you know, women too. So, um, it definitely crossed my mind and I hope that, uh, there’s, there’s, uh, you know, We hope for a cure, uh, or just a better way to treat it if it ever does happen.
Dorothy: So now, Dani, your daughter. That’s right. Has even started running with you.
Daniel: She, she’s gone on occasion. She was, she was a little more about it whenever she was, she was smaller than she is now. I mean, just this morning she was saying her ankle hurts because we were walking to school. So I don’t know if she’s just, uh, um, but when I get her as, I get her out there as much as I can.
Dorothy: Yeah, it’s fun.
Daniel: She’s too, she’s too big to push in the stroller now though, so.
Dorothy: Yeah, and [00:22:00] she’s, she’s, What, five, six, just, yeah.
She five.
Daniel: Going on six, or going on teenager.
Dorothy: Going on teenager, yeah, that’s more like it. So, uh, So what other dreams do you have for her? What dreams do you have for her?
Daniel: Uh, you know, I want to, I want her to be, uh, obviously a strong, independent woman. You know, and if, if I could, uh, take all of her pains away and all of her, her health issues. Thankfully, she doesn’t have any, uh, serious health issues. So, um, hopefully she never does in the future. But, um, you know, just for her to be a strong, uh, woman and to be independent and, um, being empowered, you know, and, uh, be able to make decisions for herself, you know, about her own body. Um, that’s, that’s what I want for her.
Dorothy: Well, she certainly has that opportunity with her mother. It is very much, Helen is very much a strong, independent woman, yes, and, and she’s a dentist.
Daniel: That’s right. Yeah.
Dorothy: Yeah. So there’s lots of different medical connects here and within your own life, and [00:23:00] that’s, that’s so interesting. So you said you had big plans for 30 for Ana and how can people find out more about it? How can they support it? Uh, tell us a little bit more about what we can do.
Daniel: Sure. So again, we’ve we’ve kind of downscaled a little bit. But you know our our plan right now is just to to Raise as much as we can for The Rose Um, so, you know, it’s um You know whenever breast cancer awareness month rolls around we’ll be hitting all our contacts and and trying to get as much support as we can. Whether it’s just whether it’s donations or whatever kind of support I mean, so that’s our focus right is is just to bring as much money in as we can.
Dorothy: Right and again Daniel. You just said we’ve raised two hundred thousand dollars. It’s about 220 now And and if you think about it, you are our 30 for Ana is our second-highest third party fundraiser. So, you know, that’s just been a godsend through all these years when funding has been [00:24:00] tough and so, uh, we we so look forward to— Besides just the fun of being with your family and meeting everybody again saying them again. So anything else that you think about with Ana?
Daniel: Yeah, so as far as our story, you know the family story, so obviously Ana was was diagnosed. Um, 2005 and passed away in 2010 and then um. You know, my brother in law, Ana’s husband, um, Gerry, you know, he remarried, uh, a few, you know, years later and, uh, You know, Aurora, she’s a big part of our family now. She’s, you know, she’s like my, my sister. She’s a big part of our family. She, you know, she, she loves Ana’s kids and, you know, they’re her kids now and she’s, you know, seen them grow up and is unfortunate. You know, we always think, uh, the statistics of, okay, well, it’s not gonna happen to me. Well, you know, Gerry remarried, like I said, and in 2009, um, two days after Gerry’s birthday, , um, uh, Aurora, his, his current wife, uh, was [00:25:00] diagnosed with, uh, breast cancer.
And, um, and like I said, you, you think about, I think the statistics were one in six or something, but in this case, you know, it was, and we were just kind of, I mean, our jaws dropped whenever, you know, it happened again. You know, it’s just like, did that mean what are the odds? And, um. But, you know, thankful for The Rose, uh, as she came in here and, and they were able to, uh, diagnose her and, and, you know, navigate her to MD Anderson. She got her treatment and, um, and I believe she’s in remission now, so that’s good. Um, but it’s just, you know, it’s, it’s, it’s hard to believe, you know, that it could happen to, I mean, obviously to Gerry, you know, twice and she has a great support. She has a great family, a great support system. Um, so she’s got a lot of support there too.
Dorothy: Oh yeah. But, but yes, you’re right. When Gerry tells a story, it’s like, oh my gosh.
Daniel: Yeah. Yeah.
Dorothy: You know, it’s just unbelievable unbelievable, how much your [00:26:00] families had to come together over such sad situations, you know that that is kind of incredible. I know this is nothing we’ve ever talked about but You just know your family comes from a lot of faith believes and has that strong understanding, you know, because they’re, they’re all so loving and so willing to give. So Daniel, thank you for being with us today. Again, Daniel was here talking about 30 for Ana, a 30 mile run for his big sister. And it’s to raise money for young women and to bring more awareness to inflammatory breast cancer. So until we meet again, thank you.
Post-Credits: Thank you for joining us today on Let’s Talk About Your Breasts. This podcast is produced by Freddy Cruz Creative Works, and brought to you by The Rose. Visit therose.org to learn more about our organization. [00:27:00] Subscribe to our podcast, share episodes with friends, and join the conversation on social media using #LetsTalkAboutYourBreasts. We welcome your feedback and suggestions. Consider supporting The Rose. Your gift can make the difference to a person in need. And remember, self care is not selfish. It’s essential.
