Laura Howarth

My name is Laura, I am a 47 year old mother of three beautiful children, Sophie, 18, Sebastian, 16, and Simon, 11.  I have been married to my best friend, Adam, for 20 years.  I was a very active mom, working full-time as a physical therapist in the school system with children with special needs.  I ran for exercise and stress relief. I loved to attend my children’s sporting events as their biggest fan.  Receiving a stage 4 metastatic breast cancer October 20, 2019 was devastating. My diagnosis came a few weeks after my mom finished treatment with her second bout of breast cancer.

  I was completely healthy, never sick, and rarely missed a day of work. My bones were in bad shape, requiring radiation to six areas for pain relief and return lost function due to the cancer.  After being off work for several months, and my pain becoming more tolerable, I decided I wasn’t going to sit around and dwell on something that is a part of me now, but doesn’t control me. 

I went back to work in Feb 2020, with a no more than 10 pound restriction, and a sense of empowerment that I won’t let cancer get the best of me, just yet. I will be on oral chemotherapy for the rest of my life, for now, until it stops doing its job, and then I will have to find other means of treatment. I am fortunate to not have too many side effects, except for fatigue, which my family knows how much I love naps.
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  I have the most wonderful support system in my family, friends, and co-workers and a deep Faith to hold onto Hope.  As most people who know me, I am not one to sit around, and I don’t plan on doing that, if I can help it.  I am grateful for Bill and Tom, and the BTB foundation, which we have learned through our Champion, and friend, Rick.  We are blessed for all the wonderful people who have offered support and who will participate in this amazing organization.