Author and Advocate Geralyn Lucas Featured at Aberdeen Library in Honor of Breast Cancer Awareness

From the Harford County Public Library:

Author and breast cancer survivor Geralyn Lucas shared her inspirational story with an engaged audience at the Aberdeen Library on Thursday, October 22nd. Her appearance was part of Paint the Town Pink and the Library’s county-wide support of Breast Cancer Awareness.

Ms. Lucas, a former journalist and television producer, was 27-years old and working at the 20/20 television show when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She chronicled her journey in her first book, Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy. Her follow-up, Then Came Life: Living with Courage, Spirit, and Gratitude after Breast Cancer, is a continuation of her story and a humorous look at how to live your life with courage and gusto!

The evening featured an interview of the author by Deb Stewart, Registered Nurse at Upper Chesapeake’s Kaufman Cancer Center and fellow breast cancer survivor. In addition to discussing her books and experiences, Ms. Lucas stressed the importance of being informed and developing support systems. This message received overwhelming agreement from the audience, which contained medical professionals, breast cancer survivors, and newly diagnosed women preparing to begin treatment.

The most intense topic discussed that evening was the American Cancer Society’s shift in mammogram recommendations which was announced earlier in the week. “I just think this is such a disservice. It’s adding to the confusion of when to get screened, when to get checked. I feel like we’ve made so much progress in genetics, in research, in treatment. Why are we going backwards?” stated Ms. Lucas.

A producer from ABC’s Nightline attended the program to tape a segment which was featured in a Nightline story on the new guidelines later that night. In addition to interviewing the author, the piece included portions of Geralyn’s presentation as well as an interview with a woman from the audience, a mother who lost her daughter to breast cancer. To view the Nightline story, visit the Library’s website at hcplonline.org.