When life gives you lemons.

On today’s episode of Up To Speed, we meet Mary Dotson, a Sourcing Manager based in Ashburn, VA.

Mary shared insight into her close relationship with her mother as well as her family’s deep history with breast cancer. “My great grandmother had it and since then every woman on that side of the family has caught breast cancer and many of them twice,” Mary said.

Her mother who fought breast cancer twice knew to prepare the appropriate medical history paperwork in the event that Mary was faced with the same fate.

In June of 2020, Mary was diagnosed with breast cancer and her mother, determined to help, set out to the post office to mail her the family medical history paperwork. Unfortunately, Mary’s mother caught covid-19 that day and a few weeks after that, passed away as a result of the virus.

In order to deal with her cancer diagnosis and her mothers passing she delved into her work.

“Not only did my line of management work with me to try and find a way to make things go forward but my business partners – were just amazing in giving support,” Mary said.

She shared that her Human Resources benefits representative reached out to her shortly after learning of her diagnosis, setting up an appointment to help Mary understand her health benefits as they related to her cancer treatment.

“Our Verizon insurance is amazing,” Mary said. “I’ve had eight operations so far - chemotherapy struck me with total terror – but there’s just a certain point where you decide am I going to lean into the situation and make the best of it, or am I going to let the situation take the best of me?”

She says getting back to work has put her on the right mental track. She has one more scheduled surgery but feels excited about her future.

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