Jan Cancer Story

How I conquered cancer... A success story:

2003 was not an easy year for Jan Kulesza. She had established Just Because Baskets with her son, Shaun, in 1999. Just as the business was taking off, Jan received news that her mother had cancer for the second time; her father lost his leg above the knee; her grandmother died – and she herself was diagnosed with lobular breast cancer. Lobular breast cancer is a deep cancer, also penetrating the muscle. Jan, like all women with this diagnosis, went from having ordinary days to suddenly fighting for her life.

What followed was the kind of grueling regime that many cancer patients know – a double mastectomy, experimental drugs, chemotherapy, and the resulting temporary, but complete, hair loss.

Jan is doing quite well today, and recently passed the critical five-year milestone. But Jan didn’t wait until that milestone to start fighting back on a larger level. As Jan said, “When I had my cancer I didn’t know how long I would live so I signed up to take part in a study to test drugs for the kind of cancer I had; I'm still in it today. I decided back then to find a way to contribute directly from the business. I want to give back. I want to know that there is a cure for cancer in my lifetime. We all want to be a part of it.”

Jan knows that a big part of her recovery was the support of her husband, Gary, her two sons and other family and friends. She discovered what she calls “a new world of support” from neighbors who stepped in to provide comfort, meals, visits, and support during the hours she felt “hurt, sad, and angry”. As Jan says, “I think it is so important that people help other people. You have to let folks know that there can be a light at the end of the tunnel.”

Customers respond on many levels to Jan and her family’s commitment to donate a portion of the business profit every day to cure breast cancer. When asked about customer response, she says: “Customers, when they learn of my struggle, often want to tell me their stories – everyone knows someone who has been impacted by cancer. They are quite supportive, and truly appreciate what we are doing.”

She continues, “Cancer changes a person. Those of us who have experienced the disease know what it means to stand at death’s door. I suddenly realized that day-to-day things like doing dishes and making the beds didn’t seem as important as they used to. Now every day is special; everything means so much more to me. I appreciate things now so much more deeply than before. Now the most important things are family, friends, and what I can do to help someone else today and tomorrow.”

Giving to fight breast cancer is not just a once-a-year effort at Just Because Baskets. Because of Jan Kulesza and the dedication of her loving family, it is an every day commitment.