The Arthurs' Story

Imagine riding on an elephant in Thailand. Sitting high atop this gigantic beast, you realize that you are about to round a mountainside. The elephant is wider than your path yet somehow the elephant manages to keep his footing. You notice the edge of his foot is only half on the path while the other half is hanging over the side of a cliff. His driver and trainer, a mahout, sits calmly on the elephant’s back. You realize that while the experience is quite scary, it is wonderful at the same time. Your fate is in the hands of the elephant and his mahout.

This travel story is much the same way that Solsberry resident June Arthurs described her journey with breast cancer. Her fate was in the hands of her caregivers. Her experience was scary. But along the way she was able to find wonder.

June and her husband of 42 years, Mike, enjoy traveling the world. They were planning a trip to Bali (Indonesia) for the fall of 2007. But life had different plans for June. In March of 2007, June was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Following a routine mammogram in February of 2007, June received the news of an abnormal reading. She followed up with an ultrasound that led to a biopsy later that month. Two days later, she was given the news by Bloomington Hospital surgeon Dr. Fadi Haddad – she had breast cancer.

“Dr. Haddad came in to talk with me, my husband and my daughter,” recalled June. “He sat down and drew a diagram for me. He calmly explained my options. He was very reassuring and immediately put me at ease.”

Back at home, June said that she and her family shed a few tears but then moved on. “We got down to business,” she said. “I had breast cancer. I was going to have surgery. That was that. We were back to normal within 30 minutes."

One place that helped June return to normalcy was the Olcott Center for Cancer Education. “They are such nice, gentle people,” said June. “They aren’t dramatic either – you talk about it, accept it and move on from there. They were so supportive and informative. They’ve become a part of my life and they will always be considered friends.”

“I actually looked forward to going to the Olcott Center,” laughed Mike, June’s husband. “They are all very friendly, gentle and kind. The support has just been outstanding.”

June had her lumpectomy at Bloomington Hospital in early April. “Shortly following surgery, I went home and felt very good,” said June. “I then began chemotherapy.” June approached chemotherapy with the same positive attitude – this time spiced with her fantastic sense of humor.

“Obviously I shaved my head so I often wore wigs. When I had my port placed at the hospital, I wore a bright pink wig and dark glasses. Dr. Haddad tried on my wig and glasses, too. The whole hospital was in an uproar,” exclaimed June. “I tried to do things to make it fun and not dwell so much on the seriousness of it.”

By October, June had sailed through chemotherapy treatments – “Somehow it was easy for me” – and started her six weeks of radiation treatments at the Bloomington Hospital’s ROC (Radiation Oncology Center).

“My physicians – Dr. Kharkar and Dr. Dayton – were amazing,” said June. “I don’t think I could have found a better team. I really don’t.”

Throughout her breast cancer journey, one important member of June’s team was her husband Mike. He attended every visit and appointment and was constantly at June’s side. “My husband became an excellent caregiver,” said June.

“June and Mike are a great team,” noted Janice Ross, RN, Olcott Center Manager. “When June comes in, Mike comes in too. He was very involved with her decisions about treatment.”

“I took ‘in sickness and in health’ very seriously when I married June,” said Mike. “Sometimes you have to be willing to show and share your gentle side and take care of the woman you love. She deserves it. I’m glad I was here to take care of her.”

“I think he did it for the free coffee and goodies,” joked June.

“And I’m so glad to know that my wife got the best treatment she could get anywhere – in the U.S. or the world for that matter,” continued Mike. “It’s almost mind-boggling to experience firsthand the amazing care offered right here in Bloomington.”

“Throughout the entire journey, I felt good,” said June. “I never even felt like I had cancer. I really believe that a positive attitude goes a long way.”

Speaking of going a long way – June and Mike took that 2007 missed trip to Bali in March of this year. They are now planning their next adventure.

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Mike and June Arthurs have two daughters and four grandchildren. Both are retired and when not traveling, they enjoy going to the theater and enjoying nature at home on their two-acre property.