Martha Giglio-Black
I am 74 years old and holding! I retired from office work after 35 years
in the corporate world but always wanted to be a teacher. And so presently
I am a substitute teacher for the Pt. St. Lucie School District, which
satisfies that itch and hopefully imparts some of my life-long learning
and skills on little minds and hearts. As a Big Brothers Big Sisters volunteer,
I mentor a 6th graders, whom I’ve been with since she was in 2nd grade. I love to read or listen to audio books, work puzzles, cook bake
and tend to my herb garden while listening to NPR radio. At present my
primary interests include providing TLC to my hubby and my tri-colored
Kin Charles Cavalier, Sir Murphy Brown-Black, my four grandchildren, one
of whom is preparing to marry a year from September, one who is graduating
from The Clark Advanced Learning Center this year, and two wee folks back
in New Jersey, (a 6 year old and a 10 year old), and our most recent family
additions, two one-year old great grands.
My story:
I am a fortunate two-time breast cancer survivor. I was diagnosed - the
first time - in December of 2000 during my
routine yearly mammogram at the age of 54. Since breast cancer does not run in my family, I prayed
that if my diagnosis were positive, it would be caught in time, and it
was. My treatment included a lumpectomy followed by 33 radiation treatments
but because of early detection, no chemotherapy or reconstruction was
needed. I did not seek out any outside support groups as I felt my family
and my faith were my strongholds during this time; I felt their support
and love and that I had “gotten off easy”.
Fast forward to October 2019, still keeping with my
yearly mammogram schedule, once again I was diagnosed with breast cancer. This time I had no anchors
in the medical field. I had moved from new Jersey to Florida and I felt
the gods must not like me much. A lumpectomy was performed (on the opposite
side) but since I was now over the age of 70, I qualified for one Intraoperative
Radiation (IORT) treatment, a large advantage to reaching my so-called
golden years! Once again, no chemotherapy was needed. I feel extremely
fortunate that a friend recommended me to the Margaret Niedland Breast
Center in Jupiter, where I received the utmost care and attention pre-op,
during and post-op.
My message for other women
You may have guessed my message to other women by the carefully placed
bolded italics in my story. I cannot stress enough the importance of yearly
mammograms. Early detection equates to better, more effective outcomes
for treatment and survival. The few minutes of discomfort undergoing the
test gives me another year’s peace of mind and that’s worth
the world to me, after all, I have a wedding to attend come September 2021!
Theme for chair
The Tree of Life motif that I am using is the idea of my treasured friend
and collaborator - read partner in crime - Mary Reichert. She is walking
me through every step of making this chair a work of art for she knows
I was in the wrong line when the crafting gene was being doled out. Ever
my confidant, she too, is a breast cancer survivor but more than that,
she is an interior designer par excellence, a fashion forward dresser,
excellent needle worker, fantastic cook and hostess and my go-to person
for knitting advice. We have known each other since the 1970’s and
she knows that my enthusiasm for life was not dulled because I am a (2x)
breast cancer survivor.
I’m grateful for every giggle we share, every day of life that elicits
a smile from a neighbor who woke up to a giant birthday card from me planted
on his front lawn, every day that allows me to enjoy our puppy or make
my husband his favorite meal, and I am particularly grateful for the technology
and talented physicians who have kept us both needleworking thus far.
I have come to believe that all these things make life worth living; that
they do make a difference and contribute to the big picture of a happy,
healthy life. I know Mary would agree with that.
Chair Location
Aveda at The Gardens Mall
3101 PGA Boulevard
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410