Valley rock maven Stephanie Muscat pounds away on her drums in an Ahwatukee Foothills nightspot then cuts into the soaring vocals of “Sweet Child o’ Mine” as the dance floor fills.

Valley rock maven Stephanie Muscat pounds away on her drums in an Ahwatukee Foothills nightspot then cuts into the soaring vocals of “Sweet Child o’ Mine” as the dance floor fills.

It only seems natural to sit home and rest after undergoing an intensive surgery to help treat breast cancer.

MEDICAL ADVICE

The Bra Recyclers, a division of Bosom Buddy Bra Recycling, has declared October "Bra Recycling Month." October is a month traditionally dedicated to Breast Cancer and Domestic Violence Awareness. In an effort to support these powerful causes, The Bra Recyclers are offering women nationwide an opportunity to support these efforts in a different way - by recycling gently used and unused bras. A portion of bras collected during October will be donated to women's shelters nationwide.

For many women, battling breast cancer can seem like a war against their own bodies. But Ahwatukee Foothills resident and part-time speech pathologist Laura McDonnell has a different opinion. The 45-year-old survivor looks at her experience with the disease as a blessing. "You just don't realize how many people care about you and love you until something like this happens," McDonnell, a mother of two, said. "Family and friends all over the country supported me and teachers at Sierra kept an eye on my boys while I was sick. I realized what wonderful young men I've been raising and that I definitely married the right guy." In November 2003 McDonnell found a lump in one of her breasts. After a mammogram and an ultrasound, doctors assured her that she was healthy. Two years later she discovered a second lump had formed in the same breast. "I went to my family doctor and in less than two minutes he sent me to a radiologist for a mammogram and an ultrasound," McDonnell said. "By the time I got home from the radiologist there was a message from the doctor on my answering machine that I needed to see a surgeon. From that point on it was just a rollercoaster." McDonnell had a double mastectomy because she did not want to risk the 60 percent chance that the cancer would come back in the other breast. Between the first surgery in October 2005 and the second surgery in June 2006, McDonnell did eight sessions of chemotherapy and six weeks of radiation. "Every week it was something new, but now I just see the oncologist every six months for a checkup and blood work," she said. "I did not want to have reconstructive surgery because I don't want to be in the hospital. I want to live my life." McDonnell kept her experience positive through the unconditional love and support she received from her husband, Bernie, who accompanied her to each chemotherapy and radiation session, her sons, Reagan, 13, and Griffin, 11, and through a group she calls her "hooter helpers." "My hooter helpers are a group of family and friends I sent regular updates to," McDonnell said. "They kept me laughing. It's just something you have to do, and we laughed our way through it." After each chemotherapy session, one hooter helper sent four days of meals to feed McDonnell's family so she would not even have to think about cooking. Another cleaned her house every two weeks. "All my hooter helpers have been a blessing to me," McDonnell said. "They helped me always look for the positive things, even when I was feeling yucky. I didn't have to worry about a bad hair day or shaving my legs." McDonnell now attends a support group once a month called Bosom Buddies. Women of all ages and cancer levels attend the meetings to share their experiences. "It's also been a blessing because some things you don't want to talk about with your family," McDonnell said. McDonnell has a number of passions. She hand-crochets afghans for Project Linus, an organization whose mission is to provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized or otherwise in need. She also knits hats for chemotherapy patients at the Ironwood Cancer Center in Chandler, and routinely gives her time as a school volunteer at Altadena Middle School. "As a mom and wife, Laura takes care of everyone else first and is completely selfless," Bernie McDonnell said. "She is the most fantastic mom and wife we could have ever dreamt of. The very thought of life without her is unimaginable. She is the best person I know." Corinne Frayer can be reached at (480) 898-7917 or cfrayer@aztrib.com.