Sandie Carner-Shafran has long been on the frontline when it comes to raising funds for cancer treatment. This past year, she’s been on the receiving end of that support.
“I got involved in Making Strides early on in my career. It seemed like there was always someone being impacted by cancer, so it was very dear to me,” said Carner-Shafran, a retiree from the Saratoga Adirondack BOCES Education Association. A SABEA member for 40 years, she currently serves on the local union’s executive board as labor ambassador. She also serves as the second vice president for Retiree Council 10; she sits on NYSUT’s Retiree Advisory Committee and Women’s Committee; and is the president of the Saratoga Area Labor Council. For the last 10 years, she’s served as captain or co-captain of the RC 10 team for Making Strides.
“This event is so beautiful ... it shines a light on the sorrow, but you also see all the support. You’re fighting out of the darkness and into the light, and when you see everyone there, it makes you believe we can do it, we can really kick cancer’s butt,” said Carner-Shafran.
In January, Carner-Shafran was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. The diagnosis came as a shock, she said, because she was never a smoker.
Carner-Shafran was used to spending her time knocking on doors, working phone banks, attending rallies, and lobbying in Albany, but suddenly, her days were filled with doctors’ appointments and worry.
She turned to the regional American Cancer Society for support and guidance. The local chapter was able to assist with transportation to medical appointments, accommodations for longer hospital stays, and even groceries. “They have taken some of the stress off my husband, and been so helpful during this scary time,” Carner-Shafran said.
Carner-Shafran's treatment regimen included radiation, chemo, and bi-weekly infusions, which left her exhausted and weak, but, she said, the constant love and support she’s received from her NYSUT family has given her strength. Not a day goes by that she doesn’t receive a card, a note, a phone call, a text or a care package from an ally. To remind her how many people she has in her corner, she collected the messages and posted them on a wall in her home.
Today, doctors are pleased with how her cancer treatment is progressing.
“It looks like things are going in the right direction,” she said. “In my opinion, cancer picked the wrong person to try to knock down. I’ve got my friends and my family, my union family, and ACS, and I’m not giving up.”
Ever the educator, Carner-Shafran continues to share her experiences and advice with other cancer patients. “I’m thrilled that I can help teach others what I’ve learned,” she said.
This October, Carner-Shafran will be participating in Making Strides of the Adirondacks in Glens Falls.
“This is not my final battle,” she said. “I’m going to keep educating. I’m going to keep providing support as long as I’m healthy and able to.”
For more information about how you can join Team NYSUT and raise funds for breast cancer research and prevention, visit https://nysut.cc/makingstrides.