Life Beyond Cancer
Mother , executive shares tips on living your best life
It seemed so insignificant . When Kathy Buckman Gibson felt a lump in her breast in 2013 , she ignored it . After all , she discovered the lump by happenstance , plus her mammography a year earlier had been clear . When she started feeling some pain , however , she scheduled a doctor ’ s appointment .
“ I was shocked to find out I had a very aggressive cancer ,” said Buckman Gibson of Memphis , Tennessee , who was 52 when she was diagnosed on April 3 , 2013 .
Within 15 days of diagnosis , cancer treatments were underway for Buckman Gibson , who is president and chief operating officer of Buckman , a specialty chemical manufacturer that serves the ethanol industry and supplies products to boost ethanol plants ’ efficiency . On Sept . 7 , 2013 , she underwent a double mastectomy . Since then , this accomplished business executive , attorney , philanthropist , wife , and mother has been cancer free and is celebrating a whole new perspective on life . Her role as a breast cancer survivor gives her an even deeper personal connection to ethanol , which displaces in gasoline toxic additives that have been shown to cause cancer .
“ When you go through a life-threatening situation , you appreciate each day as a gift ,” Buckman Gibson said . “ I ’ m grateful to share my story and am proud to support the ethanol industry , which offers all of us the chance to make a positive difference with a simple choice at the pump .”
Q : What brings you the greatest joy ?
A : I love my family , including my husband , J . W ., and my twin girls , Alicia and Savannah . They got me through my cancer treatments by keeping me laughing , and they add a level of richness to life I could never have imagined .
Q : What ’ s your advice to women to protect their health ?
A : About 1 in 8 U . S . women will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime . We have the power to change these numbers . It ’ s important to continue breast cancer research and find targeted , life-saving treatments . It ’ s also vital to get your annual mammogram .
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AMERICAN ETHANOL THE MAGAZINE