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Officer’s experience with cancer spurs her on to fight the disease
YOUNGSTOWN
Barbara Copeland has had a knack for beating the odds, and now she is putting one foot in front of the other foot in an effort to help others overcome some of life’s obstacles.
Copeland, 55, a member of the Youngstown Police Department, did not join the force until she was 44 and already established in a career elsewhere. She had worked for an area hospital for 21 years.
“I came on the job at an age when most people don’t start with the department. I came on at an age where most people are thinking about retiring,” she said.
Still, Copeland took the necessary tests after seeing an advertisement for officers. She ultimately made the cut to become a police officer with no special treatment competing against a field of candidates much younger.
All the police training given to officers, however, could not prepare Copeland for what would be her next and, arguably, most serious life challenge.
In fact, it was her years of experience working in the hospital that offered her the greatest preparation.
Copeland would routinely perform self checks for breast cancer and it was during one of those checks more than 10 years ago while in her mid-40s that she discovered a lump in her breast.
“I was always the one telling everybody to get their mammograms. I was very much aware of breast cancer from working in the hospital. I had just had a mammogram the December before [1999], four months earlier, and the lump came out of nowhere,” she said.
Copeland found out the lump was cancerous, and she went through all the needed treatment to fight the disease.
A few months later, however, she found the cancer had returned. The cancer had not only come back, but had spread to her liver and lungs.
“It was devastating. After the initial shock and trauma you just go into survival mode,” she said. “You think about your loved ones. You have to fight this, not only for yourself, but also your loved ones.”
Copeland, at that time more than 10 years ago, spent three weeks in the Cleveland Clinic undergoing a stem-cell transplant using her own cells. It was during this time that Copeland decided she would not only fight her own battle with cancer, but work to help others fight the same battle.
Copeland eventually got up, found she was in remission, then hit the ground walking to raise money for the fight against cancer. She will again be walking in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure events to raise more than $32,000 beginning with a cancer walk July 22 in Boston.
The cancer walk will take Copeland to 14 cities, including a walk July 29 in Cleveland. She will spend three days in each city walking 20 miles each day.
Copeland said she is happy to make the sacrifice to raise money for cancer, but she wishes there were more people from the black community getting involved in the fight against cancer. She said there is a noticeable lack of black people involved in the many walks in which she has participated.
“I have been walking in cancer walks for a long time. Most of the walks I’ve been involved in I have noticed the lack of African-American involvement. This disease affects us, but where are we? We need to be here,” she said. “It is a challenge, but it is also very important and very serious. I did not think I would make it to 50 so it is important to make this sacrifice, and it is important to get the word out to the African-American community.”
To participate or to offer donations for Copeland’s walks, she can be reached at 330-717-5321, 800-996-3329 or visit the website, www.the3day.org.