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Pictured : Aly Ervin, Leticia Croft-Holguin, Karen Ervin | Florey’s Bookstore Pacifica June 22, 2013
I met her when I joined Partners Mortgage Co. She always has a smile on her face and a positive attitude. Her challenges have made her stronger and more giving. I’m a better person for knowing her. For these reasons I encourage you to take a moment read the following article featured in our beloved Pacifica Tribune and to also reach out to Leticia Croft-Holguin personally.”
James Wagner
‘Cancer Starts with C’ New children’s book demystifies disease and spells message of hope and courage
By Elaine Larsen
Pacifica Tribune Editor and Publisher
Posted: 06/18/2013 05:03:24 PM PDT
Cancer can be scary — whether you’re 50 or 5. But especially so for a child who has a parent who’s sick.
How do you explain why mommy is suddenly losing her hair? Or daddy is too tired to play ball?
A new children’s book “Cancer Starts with C” takes the mystery out of the “C” disease and its treatments in simple, easy to understand language even a youngster can understand.
“Cancer is cells gone bad. Chemotherapy is like little knights sent to get rid of bad cells. Please leave, thank you. Radiation is like invisible fairy dust sent inside the body to cause bad cells to disappear. Poof! poof.”
It is the brainchild of Leticia Croft-Holguin, who drew upon her own experiences as a young mother with breast cancer. Her story is a profile in courage.
At age 28, Croft-Holguin was eagerly awaiting the impending birth of her second child. Picking out baby names, settling on colors for the nursery. “Everything was going so well. I had had a miscarriage after my first child, Isaac, but when we tried again I got pregnant and things came easily. I felt so blessed.”
Seven months into the pregnancy she felt a lump in her right breast. “There was a sharp burning sensation but I thought it was hormones. There was no unusual history of breast or ovarian cancer in my family.”
At her final pre-labor doctors visit she casually mentioned the lump to her obstetrician who immediately called for tests. The results came as a shock.
“I was diagnosed with stage 2B Triple Negative Breast Cancer,” said Croft-Holguin, now 31. With the baby in her womb full term, doctors immediately induced labor so they could begin treatment. Within two weeks of the birth of her son, Sam, Croft-Holguin underwent her first surgery, followed by eight rounds of chemo, 30 rounds of radiation and two more surgeries.
Because of her young age, doctors ordered genetic testing and determined that Croft-Holguin was positive for a BCRA 1 mutation, something she now refers to as the “Angelina Jolie gene.”
The superstar actor recently made headlines after her decision to undergo a radical double mastectomy in the wake of her own diagnosis as a carrier of the rogue gene that drastically ups her changes of developing the disease.
“Because I have the gene, I have a 60-plus percent chance of an additional breast cancer diagnosis in my lifetime and a 63 percent chance of developing ovarian cancer,” said Croft-Holguin.
She has since had both breasts removed, a bilateral nipple and skin sparring mastectomy. It involved removal of breast tissue while keeping most of the breast’s exterior, including breast skin and nipple areola complex, intact.
“Two years later and a total of seven surgeries altogether under my belt, I am still under reconstruction with no end in sight.”
Doctors say that pregnancy hormones can trigger the mutant gene. But what Croft-Holguin has since discovered is that routine breast screenings are not the norm for young women under 40.
Although older women stand a greater chance of developing breast cancer, the mortality rate is higher for younger women because of the absence of early detection.
Now in her early 30s, Croft-Holguin intends to have her ovaries surgically removed in a few years.
But while some may indulge in self pity, that’s just not Croft-Holguin’s style. “I didn’t have a lot of time to feel sorry for myself. With cancer there are tremendous uncertainties. I never got depressed or asked ‘why me?'”
“This is not a sad story,” she continued. “From the beginning I always had this deep-seated faith that my diagnosis was for a reason and that I had something amazing to contribute to the fight against cancer,” said Croft-Holguin, who resides in San Jose with her husband, Anthony, and sons, Isaac, 10, and Sam, 3.
She began working for Partners Mortgage at age 18, moving up from minor office work into her current position doing bookkeeping and accounting for branch offices, including that of Pacifican Jim Wagner, one of her biggest supporters.
These days, while juggling her young family and job, Croft-Holguin has morphed into an educator, advocate, guest speaker and, most recently, author.
“The seed was planted in me to write this book on a gorgeous summer afternoon smack in the middle of my treatment,” Croft-Holguin explained. “Pregnant when I was diagnosed and a mother of a 7 year, I found I had a lot of explaining to do. I could not hide my diagnosis or treatment. I used to joke that my baby thought all moms were bald as this was his reality. He was born to a mother who happened to be a cancer patient.”
“I sat down one day with my 7 year old and a notebook and in 20 minutes had a book and a title. It became a fun home project. About a year and a half later I had a strong urge to submit it. I felt the time was right.”
The book was eagerly accepted by a publisher. It includes colorful drawings inspired by Croft-Holguin and her son that liken chemo drugs to “little knights” and radiation as “invisible fairy dust.”
In addition to children’s author, Croft-Holguin also shares her life experiences and promotes the cause of early detection and treatment to young women throughout the Bay Area. Through her involvement with Latinas Contra Cancer, she established a program called “Young Women and Breast Cancer.” She was keynote speaker at the Breast Cancer Connection’s ninth annual conference and has also spoken at Stanford and Santa Clara universities.
“I like to think of my book as an extension of my program and refer to it as ‘same passion, new weapon’ in the fight against cancer,” she said.
Although some would dwell on the negative, Croft-Holguin believes she was chosen by a higher power for a special mission. She created a program called “Two Steps of Giving.” It is designed to set up those interested in donating, with nonprofits dedicated to giving books to patients directly and free of charge. Croft-Holguin will waive 70 percent of her personal profit to allow donors to purchase the book at nearly 50 percent off the retail price.
“As a parent you worry about your children being scared. My goal in writing this book was to shed light on a dark subject and make it fun and entertaining.”
“When the bad cells are all gone, mommy or daddy will be all better. Their hair will grow back. They will not feel tired or sick anymore. Mommy can play tag, dress up and play soccer with you again. Daddy can pick you up and throw you in the air and play hide and seek with you.”
Florey’s Book Company, 2120 Palmetto Ave., will be hosting an author’s book signing with Leticia Croft-Holguin from 1 to 2:30 p.m. this Saturday, June 22. For more information about the “Cancer Starts with C” and how you can obtain special donation pricing, contact Croft-Holguin at lcroftholguin@gmail.com or go to her website at http://www.ymoms.org
Young Women Can and Do Get Breast Cancer
Despite educational and medical advances, breast cancer continues to affect young women at an alarming rate. Croft-Holguin is helping spread the word on the importance of early screening, especially for young women whose risk is often forgotten or overlooked by the medical profession.
Did you know:
•Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in women, ages 15-54.
•More than 11,000 young women under 40 will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year.
•Although the risk of breast cancer is much lower for young women, the mortality rate is higher.
•There has been no decrease in cancer-related death in young adults since 1975.
•Breast cancer incidence are expected to double over the next 30 years.
— Source: Latinas Contra Cancer
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