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CNN Sunday Morning

Cancer Survivor Stories

Aired June 03, 2001 - 09:17   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.
BRIAN NELSON, CNN ANCHOR: Thousand of people across the U.S. participated in this year's Race for the Cure to raise money for breast cancer research. The annual event is sponsored by the Susan G. Coleman Breast Cancer Foundation. The foundation was established in 1982 to honor the memory of Coleman who died of breast cancer at the age of 36.

And according to the American Cancer Society, one in four deaths in the U.S. is from cancer. Ad more than 550,000 people will die from it this year alone. However, there are an estimated 8.9 million cancer survivors in America and today they're being honored at the 14th Annual Cancer Survivor Day celebrations.

And joining us with their cancer survivor stories are the following three people. In Chicago, actress Ann Jillian, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1985. And here in Atlanta, Jay Platt, a retired Marine and a 14-year cancer survivor who lost an eye and part of a kidney and had three brain tumors removed. And Phil Bonifiglio. Last July Phil noticed a lump in his groin that was diagnosed as Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

And we thank all of you for being here with us today. This is a pretty important day for all of you. When it comes to -- when it comes to cancer and the way it strikes, many of its victims see cancer as I guess the end if not the beginning of their end. But all three of you have had a different experience. You've all seen this as a beginning and I want to hear your stories.

So, Ann, let's start with you. How did this turn into a beginning for you?

ANN JILLIAN, ACTRESS: Back in 1985 I got the diagnosis of having breast cancer and my early detection and swift medical action thereafter and the love of family and faith and, of course, the good doctors all went together in helping me become cured Because there is -- there are cancers that do have a label of -- can have a label of cure attached to them -- breast cancer being one of them.

You know, I'm here in Chicago on behalf of the University of Chicago Hospital to deliver their keynote address today for the National Cancer Survivors Day and that was -- it came about years ago by another gentlemen and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Block, who decided to do a National Cancer Survivors Day to celebrate life. And this -- the wonderful things that happened thereafter. One of the very finest beginnings that I had after breast cancer was seven years later when I gave birth to my son who is now nine years old and I love him dearly -- hi, Andrew I know you're watching.

So life goes on and you try to live it each and every single day because every day is a new beginning. And we ask all of those to join us in helping all of those who are still battling and be a beacon of hope for all of them to know that there can be life after cancer.

NELSON: Thank you, Ann. Let's talk to Jay here for a second. Jay, you have said that cancer has made you a better person. What does that mean? What do you mean by that?

JAY PLATT, AUTHOR, "A TIME TO WALK": Definitely. I wouldn't -- certainly wouldn't pray at night for -- to have cancer obviously but before it I really didn't understand how valuable and how much of a blessing life is. And I think that having cancer and having lost an eye, one of the things that I have said, although I lost an eye to cancer, that I see now things that I never saw before.

And so I think if you look for the good in anything that happens I think you can find it. And certainly while cancer is a horrible thing that I wouldn't wish on anyone, there are good things in it also. And I do think as a result I am a better person now.

NELSON: And Phil Bonifiglio, you were an accomplished athlete, a cyclist. And then cancer struck you and you must have said to yourself, "How could this happen -- I lead a perfect life." Right? You don't even eat red meat.

PHIL BONIFIGLIO, GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY: Well, I do now. But, no, for me it was -- it took me quite by surprise. And to be an accomplished athlete, to be in terrific health, to have a resting heart rate of 45, you always say to yourself, "How could this possibly happen to me because I take care of myself and I do the right things?" but cancer -- it's a non-discriminating disease and it can strike you at any time.

NELSON: So what was the most important factor in your recovery, your turn around and the second stage of your life?

BONIFIGLIO: Well, I think it was a couple of things. Number one, the fact that I was in good health was -- helped my treatment and helped me get through my treatment. Secondly, I think I had a terrific support group around me -- the cyclists I ride with, my -- the people at work, my family and my close friends all were a terrific support group.

And I think the other thing that I did was I kept my strong positive mental attitude and kept positive through the whole thing -- looked at it as an adventure, as something that was going to be taken care of -- it was a blip on the radar screen and I was going to get through this and be fine. I had a lot of confidence in my doctors, too.

NELSON: Oh, good. Ann, you are a motivational speaker in addition to being an actress and a singer. When you're out giving speeches about this, what is the core essence of your message?

JILLIAN: Faith, love and a good sense of humor and that early detection is still your very best protection. I firmly believe that. But the faith and the love and a good sense of humor -- if you don't have that, you can't get through much in life. So for me it really revolved around -- it revolved around all of that.

NELSON: And I want to talk to Jay here for a second. Jay wrote a book, "Lessons Learned from the Appalachian Trail" and I'm rather intrigued. This book is not about your trip from A to Z, it's about what went on with inside you I understand.

PLATT: Exactly. Well, one of the things that happened was I'm a retired Marine and when I got out of the Marine Corps I wanted to do something different -- something to prove that this cancer wasn't going to beat me. So I did, in fact, hike the Appalachian Trail. And I went opposite from most people -- I started in Maine and came all the way down to Georgia. And it took me about five months to do it. And it was really a learning experience.

And, yes, I wrote a book that does talk about the trail as a metaphor for life because how life, just like the rail of a mountain trail, is like ups and downs and you're going to have your bad days and you're going to have your good days, you're going to have your scary times and you're going to have your beautiful times. And so those are just some of the lessons that I learned out there. And it was quite an experience -- it was a lifetime experience.

NELSON: Phil, we're running out of time. Any lasting thoughts you'd like to leave us with?

BONIFIGLIO: I think the, one, is that early detection really helped me. And I went to a doctor at Moody once I found the lump and got into treatment. I also was -- participated in my choices about my treatment and got several opinions -- went on the Internet and became an educated consumer about my cancer, which I thought was very important in the decision making process and the course of treatment.

NELSON: And, Ann, a last thought from you?

JILLIAN: Get your check ups, everybody -- gentlemen PSAs, ladies your mammograms and all of the other things that go along with your check ups and celebrate life because life can be very, very good.

NELSON: Ann Jillian, Jay Platt and Phil Bonifiglio, all cancer survivors on this National Cancer Survivors Day. We thank you all for being with us here.

PLATT: Pleasure.

JILLIAN: Thank you.

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