50+ Lifestyles

The 27th Annual Race for the Cure!

By Christina McNamara-Schmidt
Komen Quad Cities/Marketing and Fundraising Specialist

Detecting breast cancer early is key to survival.  That’s the main message from Terri Reinartz, who is the Honorary Survivor Chair for this year’s Komen Quad Cities Race for the Cure.

“Get your mammogram. If you sense something is wrong, tell your doctors.  Get tests early, so that if something is found, you can be treated and move on with life,” said Reinartz, 61, of Davenport.

Terri, now a 5-year breast cancer survivor, was diagnosed with stage one, estrogen and progesterone positive, HER2-negative, grade 3 cancer in her right breast in 2010, which was detected on a routine mammogram. Although the cancer was an early stage, Terri’s doctor advised genomic testing to study the genetics of the cancer itself, and to help determine her risk for recurrence. Results showed her risk to be mid-range for the cancer coming back, so she was treated with a lumpectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation.

“I thought, I’m healthy, younger, so why not fight it now and maybe I won’t have to do it again,” said Reinartz, who was 55 years old when diagnosed.
Terri’s journey through treatment shortened a successful career at Deere & Co., where she worked as the Manager of Communications for the Global Ag and Turf Division.
“I was in North Carolina on a business trip when the surgeon called me. I wrote down the diagnosis and went into a fog. I thought, how can this happen? Every year I have a mammogram, exam, and do what the doctors tell me to do,” she said.

Terri journaled daily throughout her treatments, worked from home, and created puzzles to keep her mind busy. “Doing puzzles was a mental break. People kept doing things for me, so I felt the need to do for someone else. I created photos that reflected my cancer experience, and then had them made into puzzles,” she said. Many of Terri’s puzzles feature a cross, because she says her faith and family provided a lot of support. Terri gives the puzzles to women undergoing treatment, calling them “Healing Puzzles for Cancer Patience.” Terri was recently awarded a small grant from Komen Quad Cities to support her puzzle program. Terri is very grateful to her husband, Paul, six children, and co-workers at Deere & Co. who helped her daily by providing meals and care.

“Talk about in sickness and in health. My husband was my protector, my caregiver, and he took me to everything. My co-workers brought meals and my HR lady friends brought me scarves from all over the world when they traveled. One day, I got a bracelet in the mail, and on the following days I’d get a different “Brighton” charm, to brighten my day. Their kindness just made me want to cry,” she said.

Terri finished all of her treatments right before her daughter’s wedding, and returned to work within seven months of her diagnosis. She retired in 2012. Mame Sage of Bettendorf nominated Terri for the Honorary Survivor Chair role. “Terri is a woman who exudes strength, positivity, Christian beliefs, and warmth.  She is ready to offer
knowledge and support to anyone around her, especially a cancer survivor,” Sage said.