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Daily Oklahoman - Friday, September 21

Featuring Sharla Schooley

Cancer survivors' SHOUT offers understanding, hope

Charlotte Lankard - Daily Oklahoman July 2, 2007

A few weeks ago, my friend Joan Gilmore invited me to speak to a meeting of Friends of the Oklahoma Breast Institute. It was there that I learned of a new organization called SHOUT.

SHOUT stands for Strength, Healing, Optimism, Understanding ... Together. SHOUT was founded in 2006 by two young breast cancer survivors, Molly Fritch and Sandi Troup, who were diagnosed at ages 31 and 32. Breast cancer typically strikes after age 50, and Molly and Sandi discovered they didn't know any others their age with the disease.

Molly told me, "Cancer can be a very lonely and isolating diagnosis, whether young or old, but younger women with cancer face some different issues.”

The two women found the challenges of motherhood and fertility different than those of their friends or older cancer patients, and they saw a need for young women to have a place where they could meet, share friendship and find hope.

Sandi said, "We originally started as a group of breast cancer survivors, but quickly realized the impact to young women is very similar, no matter what the cancer, and decided early on to invite all young women survivors.”

Whether you or someone you know is newly diagnosed with cancer or going through treatment, they invite you to give them a shout! Check out their Web site at www.shout-okc.org.
You can reach them by e-mail at info@shout-okc.org or by calling Molly Fritch at 740-7705 or Sandi Troup at 962-9012. They also publish a newsletter, "The Hot Flash,” with news and information about upcoming events, and articles that pertain to young women and cancer issues.

They are not connected with any particular medical facility and draw from many medical experts in the community. SHOUT invites any medical or mental health professional, social worker or care coordinator to partner with them in their effort.

And all of us can support these young women, whether we are a survivor, health professional or community member. Help them spread the word about their group and/or make a tax-deductible donation. The address is SHOUT, 6608 N Western, PMB 198, Oklahoma City, OK 73116.

The statistics tell us that one in 229 women ages 30-40 will develop breast cancer. SHOUT offers these young women — and others — a safe place to get together, get connected and find hope.

Charlotte Lankard is a marriage and family therapist in private practice with Baptist Counseling Associates and director of the James L. Hall Center for Mind, Body and Spirit at Integris. E-mail her at clankard@cox.net.

Why You Should Be in Pink Monday

SoonerSports.com Press Release, February 10, 2007

Features survivor stories for Molly Fritch, Sharla Schooley, and Sandi Troup in preparation for "Pack the Place in Pink" - a breast cancer awareness night at the OU Women's Basketball Game.

Mastectomy on Thursday, OU game four days later

By Jenni Carlson, Staff Writer - Daily Oklahoman, February 13, 2007

NORMAN — Sandi Troup refused to let anything keep her from the Oklahoma women's basketball game on Monday.

Not even a mastectomy on Thursday.

The mother of a toddler, Troup is co-founder of a cancer support group for 40-and-under women. When OU announced Monday's game against Texas would be Pack the Place Pink Night to promote breast cancer awareness, the group wanted to be a part.

Troup said she would be there, and even after surgery to remove one of her breasts last week, she kept her promise.

" Sometimes your battles are thrust on you,” she said before OU's 78-58 victory against Texas, "but you can determine how you face them.”

Troup's way?

" You put your foot down, look cancer in the eye, and say, ‘You're not taking this from me.”

Troup was an Air Force weather officer stationed in Germany when she first detected a lump in her breast. Only 32 years old, she went to the doctor who told her not to worry about it.

Preparing to leave the military, she returned to Oklahoma later in later in 2005.

" Something about the long flight,” Troup said, "made that little lump triple in size.”

Another trip to the doctor confirmed her suspicions — she had breast cancer.

" One more war to fight,” said Troup, whose military missions included support in the Sept. 11 recovery and the war in Afghanistan. "This was going to be every bit as tough, but I had so much support from friends and family. I was able to get back in a battle mindset.”

She still felt lonely as a thirty-something cancer patient. Her doctor introduced her to Molly Fritch, who was only 31 when she was diagnosed. They became fast friends and banded together to help other young women battling cancer.

SHOUT was born. That's short for Strength, Healing, Optimism, Understanding Together. The support group addresses issues unique to young women with cancer, including having children and dating after treatment. The group has more than 30 members, more than triple since its first meeting in June.

That was about the time Troup started having a problem with her remaining breast. Doctors determined that it had some pre-cancerous cells.

Troup was scheduled to have a mastectomy on Feb. 1, but a delay pushed it back to last Thursday.

Only four days after the surgery, Troup was at Pack the Place Pink Night. She admits that she was still sore, but she wouldn't have missed the game.

There was power in the pink.

" You think it's the end of the world,” she said, "but I think everyone that's come on the other side of it says they are a better person because of it. They wouldn't want to do it again, but they're grateful because lots of times you're looking too much at the destination. How much money am I going to make? What am I going to become?

" It's about the journey. Give more attention...to the things that are going to matter in the long run.”

Erin Fitzgerald - OKC Friday

SHOUT! A wonderful dinner was held at Deep Fork Grill Monday evening in honor of SHOUT: Strength, Healing, Optimism, Understanding, Together, supporting the Young Breast Cancer Survivors of Oklahoma City.

Executive Chef Marc Cassel of Dragonfly, Hotel ZaZa in Dallas, prepared a fabulous five-course meal to please everyone’s appetite. Hundreds of friends and family came out to support the young women as they work to fight breast cancer.

YOUNG Breast Cancer Survivors Amanda Bleakley, Terri Horton, Sandi Troup, Sharla Schooley and Molly Fritch at the dinner.

Oklahoma breast cancer survivor organizes a monthly support group

Journal Record, The (Oklahoma City), Sep 1, 2006 by Joan Gilmore

Molly Ross Fitch may be a breast cancer survivor, but she doesn't let that stop her from SHOUTing. As a matter of fact, SHOUT is what she's just organized. It is the anachronism for Strength, Heating, Optimism, Understanding, Together, and it's an organization for monthly support among young women under 40 (which she is) who have also suffered or are suffering breast cancer.

She's working with Deep Fork Grill folks to spearhead the young group's first fundraiser, a dinner at the restaurant. On Sept. 18, Deep Fork is bringing in Marc Cassel, executive chef at Dragonfly, the super restaurant at Hotel ZAZA in Dallas (owned by some Oklahoma Cityans). The four-course dinner, including three appropriate wines, is $75 per person, and a percentage of the profits goes to SHOUT.

Molly says, "Through my journey, I've developed a very strong passion for helping other young women with this disease. I understand that all women, young or old, struggle when faced with a breast cancer diagnosis, yet younger women face some different issues. This is why I feel there's such a strong need to form a support group geared towards providing fellowship and hope for young breast cancer survivors."

Along with SHOUT's monthly support group meetings, the group also hopes to develop a Web site with an online "library" containing information pertaining to young women and breast health. She also hopes the group can develop a newsletter and provide community education. SHOUT members are in the process of applying for tax- exempt status. Molly serves dual roles, not only as SHOUT leader but also as a member of the Community Advisory Board of the OU Breast Institute.