One Woman's Brave Battle with Breast Cancer

From the passenger seat, I hear my friend sing "Fly, Robin, Fly," and turn to see her shimmy under her shoulder harness. When Chic's "Le Freak" comes on, she lifts her hands claw-like. It's sort of the universal monster pantomime. She says, "This was me this morning when my colostomy bag broke."

My favorite song is Patti LaBelle's "Lady Marmalade." OK, no one knows the name. But it goes, "Hello, hey Joe, you wanna give it a go? Mm-mm," followed by some French (which I can't translate for you here). But it is risque enough that as a Catholic schoolgirl I had to hide my delight in the song.

Now hairless and facing deforming surgery, I revel in the music and fight any possible loss of self esteem by moving my body to these sensual, romantic songs.

In myself, I can feel a beauty that is beyond cancer.

Kara Briggs is a Yakama journalist from Portland, Ore., where she works for The Oregonian. She is currently on medical leave. She is a former president of the Native American Journalists Association and winner of the 2004 Richard LaCourse Award for Investigative Journalism. She is interested in the experiences of readers who have had cancer and also remedies, cultural practices or unusual treatments that have helped them. Contact her by e-mail at k-briggs@earthlink.net or by mail through Indian Country Today.

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