6
Story
A SURVIVOR
F
or the first time in months, Kristina Shaughnessy is feeling
like herself again. In the fall of 2011, she was diagnosed
with breast cancer and began the year-long fight for her life.
It was an exhausting year of chemotherapy, radiation, hair
loss, fatigue and worry. With the support of her family,
physicians and nurses at Virtua, Shaughnessy is beginning to
regain the life she had before cancer.
Today, the mother of two celebrates life as a breast cancer
survivor but has made it clear that her fight against cancer is
simply not over.
“My life blocks have been scattered on the floor, and now I
need to restack them,” she said. “I’m not sure how that’s
going to go, but I do know I have the opportunity to help
other women see that breast cancer is not a death
sentence—especially if it can be caught early through a
mammogram or self-checking.”
Shaughnessy started raising awareness for breast cancer long
before her own diagnosis. Her sister is a two-time breast
cancer survivor. She is also a personal friend of the O’Brien
sisters from the Tyanna Foundation, a nonprofit organization
that has contributed $68,000 to Virtua Foundation through
its annual BreastFest event since 2009. The Tyanna
Foundation strives to make mammography available to
women who are not insured and do not have access to
regular check-ups.
“It’s so great that the money raised from BreastFest stays
right here in South Jersey,” Shaughnessy said. “National
fundraisers are great, but when the money stays local you
can really see the effect it can have on families and women—
your neighbors—who are affected by breast cancer.”
Shaughnessy’s voice is powerful when she talks about the
importance of mammograms and early detection.
“A mammogram is why I am here today,” she said. “It’s so
easy to do. I know it’s scary, but it can—Save. Your. Life.
Women need to not be afraid of this.”
For more on Kristina Shaughnessy’s story, visit
foundation.virtua.org.
Kristina Shaughnessy Continues to Fight
Cancer for Women in South Jersey
Kristina, Jill, Nora and John Shaughnessy
