Cancer survivor Helene Hair takes fight against disease personally

Helene Hair, a senior engineering assistant, was not surprised the day the doctors told her she had breast cancer in 2007. After all, three of her five sisters had already been diagnosed and she had figured it was just a matter of time before she got the news.

On Friday, she will take a lap and celebrate with others their victory over the disease at the Harrison County Relay For Life event in Jones Park.

Hair and hundreds of others will also remember those who have passed or are currently fighting cancer, including her sister, Renee, and co-workers Bud Goodman and Van Strickland.

While two other older sisters had been diagnosed and treated for cancer, it was just after Hurricane Katrina, when Renee, Hair’s second oldest yet closest sister, tested positive for cancer.

“Her back had been bothering her for some time. It was right before Christmas in 2005 when she was first diagnosed with bone cancer, but later doctors determined it started with breast cancer,” said Hair, who cared for Renee throughout her surgery and treatments.

Because of the definite family pattern, she started having regular mammograms every six months instead of annually, and in 2007, the doctors found not one, but two, types of cancer in one of Hair’s breast.

“There was no debate about it, I knew I would go ahead and have a double mastectomy,” Hair said. “I had heard too many stories of people who had the cancer come back after only having a single procedure. One time dealing with it was enough for me.”

This time, it was Renee who helped care for her through her surgery and six treatments of chemotherapy.

“The chemo wasn’t too bad for me, but I was tired a couple of days after each treatment and couldn’t do anything but lay around,” Hair said. “Renee helped me get through that and care for my daughter, Hannah, who was 11 years old at the time.”

Through it all, Helene tried to keep a positive and thankful attitude, but the thing that really upset her was when she started losing her hair.

“I remember it was Labor Day weekend, and clumps of my hair were coming out and there in my hands,” she said. “I couldn’t help myself. I just started crying when I saw that.”

Then co-worker and friend – now husband – Eddie Hair just happened to call to check on her. When he heard her distress, he rushed over.

“When he got to the house, I asked Eddie to shave my head, and he did,” she said. “After that I was at peace. I put on my baseball cap – or sometimes a bandana – and went on until my hair grew back.”

She and Eddie later married in 2009, but that year also came with sadness. Renee’s cancer had returned and she died in August that year.

“They say what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger, and I believe that’s the case for me,” said Hair, who runs regularly, has completed four eight-week fitness boot camps and feels healthier now than she’s ever been. “Unfortunately, it wasn’t the case for my sister and other family and friends.”

In addition to supporting organizations like American Cancer Society, to help fight back against the disease, Hair participated in two research studies.

One was a two-year study on the effectiveness and effects in cancer patients who take the drug Zometa, which is designed to strengthen bones. “I decided if I could help somebody else figure out a medicine that works then it’s worth going through,” she said.

And Hair is adamant about encouraging other women to have regularly scheduled mammograms.

“I hear women complain about the discomfort of having a mammogram. I tell them that’s nothing compared to the months of chemo, radiation and/or surgery, they’ll need if they let it go longer than it needs to,” she said. “I know early detection and advances in treatment helped save me.”