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CNN Live Today

Fighting Breast Cancer

Aired October 22, 2003 - 10:26   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and this year, that has a whole new meaning for my family. My mother Phyllis was diagnosed in February. The good news, she is a great example of a reason to catch the disease early, and my mom, Phyllis Kagan, our special guest. There she is.
PHYLLIS KAGAN, DARYN KAGAN'S MOM: Hi.

KAGAN: In Los Angeles. And as always, at this hour we have our "Daily Dose," our health reporter Elizabeth Cohen.

Elizabeth, good morning.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello. I am so honored to be here with your mother.

KAGAN: I can't believe I'm on television with my mother.

COHEN: What fun. What fun.

Well, can I interview her?

KAGAN: Please do. You take it away.

All right, Phyllis, it's going to be you and me for a couple of minutes.

P. KAGAN: OK, Liz. That's terrific.

COHEN: Phyllis, tell me, how did you first find out that you had breast cancer?

P. KAGAN: It was my regular, garden variety annual mammogram, and that's why I'm here to once again spread the word regular mammograms are so important.

COHEN: Your daughter says you have been very diligent really your whole life at getting mammograms.

P. KAGAN: I have, I really have, and it paid off is all I can say, and I never would have discovered it otherwise, and I have a long history of film that it could be compared to and it's -- ladies, you've just got to do it.

COHEN: And when you got that phone call or when you heard from the doctor that they had found something on the mammogram, were you shocked, or did you pretty quickly go into action mode to think about treatment.

P. KAGAN: Well, you know, it is a shock. It's the shock and the uncertainty of it all, and I think it's important for friends and family to validate that shock and uncertainty, but then very soon after that, you have to get on with it and do the things that have to get done, and do the investigating, and do the talking and ask the questions. So, yes, it is a shock and, you know, you get beyond it, because nobody gives you much time not to.

COHEN: And, Phyllis, tell me again when you were diagnosed and what treatment you received.

P. KAGAN: I was actually diagnosed the end of January. For me, January is mammogram month and I was -- luckily, we caught it early, and there was no node involvement, so I had about six weeks of radiation every day.

KAGAN: And a lumpectomy.

P. KAGAN: And a lumpectomy. Yes, right.

Thank you, Daryn.

KAGAN: You're welcome.

COHEN: And then you continued with -- you were given a drug that's gotten a lot of attention lately.

P. KAGAN: Right. I was put very soon on Femara (ph). And you know, you are introduced into a whole new group of characters. There's a surgeon and there's an oncologist, and there's a radiologist oncologist, and everybody has their spiel and tells you the things you need to know, and one of the first things the oncologist defense put me on Femara.

COHEN: All right, well, Phyllis, hang with us, we're going to talk to Daryn for a second.

P. KAGAN: OK, great.

COHEN: This is a disease that affects, you know better than anyone, affects whole families.

KAGAN: It does.

COHEN: Not just individuals, and you wrote a wonderful article in "Self" magazine.

KAGAN: Well, thanks you, Elizabeth. The people at "Self" put together a breast cancer issue every October, and they asked me to write an article about being a family member and what helps, because I know there are a lot of people out there who find out that their loved one is diagnosed. You want to help, but what help. But a chance to interview my mom, but also some other breast cancer survivors and find out from them what helps and what doesn't, and it was really interesting, because some of the things that you would think would help don't necessarily help.

And I think do we have the graphic ready to go about some of the things we came up with? That's coming up.

OK, some of the things, lend your brain. My mom, I know, in particular wanted me and the other kids to help think of questions to ask the doctor. You are kind of in shock when you're the one who has it. Also do something normal. She wanted to do go shopping the night before surgery. We did that. Spread the love and talking to other breast cancer survivors. Everyone needs to be at the hospital on the particular day. It helps to kind of spread out over different parts of recovery.

COHEN: I thought it was interesting that you said surfing the Internet is not always helpful.

KAGAN: Two different women told me that, that friends trying to help think, oh, I'm going to go home and look on the Internet and get information, and they call them up, oh, my God, do you know what kind of disease you have? Both these women said, you know what, I have my doctors get the information, I need my loved ones for support. I don't you going and surfing the Internet and telling me about this terrible disease that I have.

COHEN: That's a good hint. And also, I like the one about the chef.

KAGAN: Yes, one woman had her friends, instead of bringing her over all these casseroles, her friends got together and as one giant gift, they got this giant pool of money and they hired an organic chef for her and her family for two weeks, to help her learn about healthier cook. So there's lots of creative ways out there.

COHEN: And can you tell us, if you could think about the single thing that someone did for you that helped you the most, what would that be?

P. KAGAN: Well, I really think it's not a single thing, it was a group thing. A portion of your life is turned upside down. For me, it was keeping the normal part of my life normal, and to do the activities that I enjoy and bring me joy and, you know, whatever it is, whether it's bowling or baking, try and do those things continually with your friend who may be battling this disease. It's so important to bring joy into your life, and everybody's got something that they enjoy. So keep doing those enjoyable things.

KAGAN: And for the record, bowling and baking, neither one of them brings my mother joy.

COHEN: Somebody else did the bowling and baking, huh?

KAGAN: Interesting things to pick there, mom.

Elizabeth, thank you for that, and for having the discussion with my mom. She's going to come back in the next hour. We're going to continue our discussion in the next hour. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired October 22, 2003 - 10:26   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and this year, that has a whole new meaning for my family. My mother Phyllis was diagnosed in February. The good news, she is a great example of a reason to catch the disease early, and my mom, Phyllis Kagan, our special guest. There she is.
PHYLLIS KAGAN, DARYN KAGAN'S MOM: Hi.

KAGAN: In Los Angeles. And as always, at this hour we have our "Daily Dose," our health reporter Elizabeth Cohen.

Elizabeth, good morning.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello. I am so honored to be here with your mother.

KAGAN: I can't believe I'm on television with my mother.

COHEN: What fun. What fun.

Well, can I interview her?

KAGAN: Please do. You take it away.

All right, Phyllis, it's going to be you and me for a couple of minutes.

P. KAGAN: OK, Liz. That's terrific.

COHEN: Phyllis, tell me, how did you first find out that you had breast cancer?

P. KAGAN: It was my regular, garden variety annual mammogram, and that's why I'm here to once again spread the word regular mammograms are so important.

COHEN: Your daughter says you have been very diligent really your whole life at getting mammograms.

P. KAGAN: I have, I really have, and it paid off is all I can say, and I never would have discovered it otherwise, and I have a long history of film that it could be compared to and it's -- ladies, you've just got to do it.

COHEN: And when you got that phone call or when you heard from the doctor that they had found something on the mammogram, were you shocked, or did you pretty quickly go into action mode to think about treatment.

P. KAGAN: Well, you know, it is a shock. It's the shock and the uncertainty of it all, and I think it's important for friends and family to validate that shock and uncertainty, but then very soon after that, you have to get on with it and do the things that have to get done, and do the investigating, and do the talking and ask the questions. So, yes, it is a shock and, you know, you get beyond it, because nobody gives you much time not to.

COHEN: And, Phyllis, tell me again when you were diagnosed and what treatment you received.

P. KAGAN: I was actually diagnosed the end of January. For me, January is mammogram month and I was -- luckily, we caught it early, and there was no node involvement, so I had about six weeks of radiation every day.

KAGAN: And a lumpectomy.

P. KAGAN: And a lumpectomy. Yes, right.

Thank you, Daryn.

KAGAN: You're welcome.

COHEN: And then you continued with -- you were given a drug that's gotten a lot of attention lately.

P. KAGAN: Right. I was put very soon on Femara (ph). And you know, you are introduced into a whole new group of characters. There's a surgeon and there's an oncologist, and there's a radiologist oncologist, and everybody has their spiel and tells you the things you need to know, and one of the first things the oncologist defense put me on Femara.

COHEN: All right, well, Phyllis, hang with us, we're going to talk to Daryn for a second.

P. KAGAN: OK, great.

COHEN: This is a disease that affects, you know better than anyone, affects whole families.

KAGAN: It does.

COHEN: Not just individuals, and you wrote a wonderful article in "Self" magazine.

KAGAN: Well, thanks you, Elizabeth. The people at "Self" put together a breast cancer issue every October, and they asked me to write an article about being a family member and what helps, because I know there are a lot of people out there who find out that their loved one is diagnosed. You want to help, but what help. But a chance to interview my mom, but also some other breast cancer survivors and find out from them what helps and what doesn't, and it was really interesting, because some of the things that you would think would help don't necessarily help.

And I think do we have the graphic ready to go about some of the things we came up with? That's coming up.

OK, some of the things, lend your brain. My mom, I know, in particular wanted me and the other kids to help think of questions to ask the doctor. You are kind of in shock when you're the one who has it. Also do something normal. She wanted to do go shopping the night before surgery. We did that. Spread the love and talking to other breast cancer survivors. Everyone needs to be at the hospital on the particular day. It helps to kind of spread out over different parts of recovery.

COHEN: I thought it was interesting that you said surfing the Internet is not always helpful.

KAGAN: Two different women told me that, that friends trying to help think, oh, I'm going to go home and look on the Internet and get information, and they call them up, oh, my God, do you know what kind of disease you have? Both these women said, you know what, I have my doctors get the information, I need my loved ones for support. I don't you going and surfing the Internet and telling me about this terrible disease that I have.

COHEN: That's a good hint. And also, I like the one about the chef.

KAGAN: Yes, one woman had her friends, instead of bringing her over all these casseroles, her friends got together and as one giant gift, they got this giant pool of money and they hired an organic chef for her and her family for two weeks, to help her learn about healthier cook. So there's lots of creative ways out there.

COHEN: And can you tell us, if you could think about the single thing that someone did for you that helped you the most, what would that be?

P. KAGAN: Well, I really think it's not a single thing, it was a group thing. A portion of your life is turned upside down. For me, it was keeping the normal part of my life normal, and to do the activities that I enjoy and bring me joy and, you know, whatever it is, whether it's bowling or baking, try and do those things continually with your friend who may be battling this disease. It's so important to bring joy into your life, and everybody's got something that they enjoy. So keep doing those enjoyable things.

KAGAN: And for the record, bowling and baking, neither one of them brings my mother joy.

COHEN: Somebody else did the bowling and baking, huh?

KAGAN: Interesting things to pick there, mom.

Elizabeth, thank you for that, and for having the discussion with my mom. She's going to come back in the next hour. We're going to continue our discussion in the next hour. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com