Donna Matherne of Williamsburg, VA, has been a Boober! for a year-and-a-half. She and her husband Chris are parents to two boys, Nathan and Joseph, so it is difficult for her to attend other Beyond Boobs! fundraisers because of family commitments. That is why she is doing everything she can for the 2015 calendar in order to raise funds for the group.
“Beyond Boobs! has been so helpful for me,” Donna said. “I had good support from my family and friends but I didn’t have anyone who really knew what it was like to have breast cancer. Being a Boober! gives me the chance to connect with other survivors and vent my feelings. I can complain and give voice to my true emotions without worrying about being judged because I am with other ladies who have been through the same experiences.”
Donna, 40, was diagnosed with breast cancer the first time in 2009 after trying to convince doctors that something was wrong for more than a year. The doctors kept telling her that everything was OK but she knew it wasn’t. She trusted herself and kept pushing to finally get the correct diagnosis. After six months of chemotherapy as well as reconstruction surgery after a mastectomy she was diagnosed with cancer again in 2012. She finished her second round of chemo last June. She stresses that women should trust their gut instincts and wants to share that message through her part in the calendar.
Donna believes that laughter is the best medicine and she received a hearty dose during her photo shoot. “There were lots of different movements for the poses and it was so comical,” she said. “Everyone at my shoot laughed the entire time. I had so much fun.”