Hanging on to one's sense of humor during times of serious illness is a tall order, but Barbara Connolly managed to keep hers during a recent battle with breast cancer.
"Going through it, you need a sense of humor, because it's such a horrible experience," she said. "Keeping it happy and comical keeps it a little more positive."
Today, Ms. Connolly is cancer-free and a dedicated advocate for the cause. Meanwhile, her good cheer is as evident as ever.
The proof -- "Two Steps for the Ta-Tas," the amusingly named fundraiser Ms. Connolly is hosting Thursday night at Spurs Roadhouse in Pittston. Benefiting the local chapter of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation, the event will feature performances by country music up-and-comers Love and Theft and Sarah Buxton, plus a two-steppin' dance contest.
Doors open at 4 p.m. Admission is $5, and attendees will have the opportunity to meet the performers and get autographs following the show.
Ms. Connolly said she's gotten plenty of laughs and more than a few quizzical stares in the course of promoting the event, thanks to the word "ta-tas," which is modern-day slang for "breasts."
"A lot of people ask me, 'What's this word? What are ta-tas?'" said the Green Ridge resident. "If you use a slogan like that, it really grabs people's attention."
Two years ago, at age 29, Ms. Connolly found a lump the size of a watermelon seed in her left breast. Her gynecologist, however, didn't realize she had a history of cancer on both sides of her family, and told Ms. Connolly she was too young to have the disease, that the lump was probably just due to her menstrual cycle.
However, the lump grew, and Ms. Connolly eventually found out she had stage-2 breast cancer. Given her family's history and the strong possibility of recurrence, she opted to undergo a double mastectomy on April 25 of last year, then began the first of four rounds of chemotherapy in June. Late last year, she was given a clean bill of health.
Determined to bring awareness to other young women like herself, Ms. Connolly began volunteering for several local cancer groups, including the Komen Foundation. Looking to do some sort of fundraiser for the organization, she turned to one of her great loves -- country music.
With the help of local radio station Froggy 101, she was able to land Ms. Buxton, known for her single "Innocence" ("She's kind of like a young Shania Twain," Ms. Connolly said), and Love and Theft, who will be opening for Taylor Swift this summer.
"Guys for the girls and a girl for the guys," Ms. Connolly said with a laugh. "The celebs are new and they want to build fans. They like to do these charity events for free."
In addition to the performers and the dance contest, the event will include a number of raffle items, including a Philadelphia Eagles football signed by players Trevor Laws and DeSean Jackson, a signed picture of Pittsburgh Steelers star safety Troy Polamalu, Scranton Cultural Center at The Masonic Temple event tickets and gift certificates to restaurants like Ruth's Chris Steakhouse at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs.
Assuming all goes well this first time out, Ms. Connolly would love nothing more than to make "Ta-Tas" an annual event.
"I just want to get people to be more aware of their bodies," she said. "I just want to help people like me."
Contact the writer: jmcauliffe@timesshamrock.com
If you go
What: "Two Steps for the Ta-Tas"
Where: Spurs Roadhouse, 900 Oak St., Pittston
When: Thursday, with doors opening at 4 p.m. and music beginning at 7:30
Details: Admission is $5, with all proceeds benefiting the Northeast Pennsylvania affiliate of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation. For more information on the event, visit: www.neparaceforthecure.org To see more of The Times-Tribune or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.thetimes-tribune.com/. Copyright (c) 2009, The Times-Tribune, Scranton, Pa. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.
Copyright (C) 2009, The Times-Tribune, Scranton, Pa.