BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR SPOTLIGHT

In honor of breast cancer awareness month, BayouLife Magazine partnered with The Cancer Foundation League and sponsors: Oncology Associates of Monroe, Mickel Plastic Surgery and First National Bank to makeover a breast cancer survivor/patient’s bedroom.

article by Meredith McKinnie and photography by Kelly Moore Clark

Renee Battaglia Steverson is a breast cancer survivor and advocate for early detection. Diagnosed at only 43 with no family history, Renee was caught completely off guard. She faced an uphill battle, one difficult to truly understand until you’ve been through it. Being a single mother, Renee recognized she was a caretaker of everyone else but herself. Cancer forced Renee to focus on her health, her treatment, and come to love herself, as no one could battle this illness for her. A graduate of Downsville High School, Renee was shy and quiet, the opposite of her son, Griffin. She loved growing up in the small town, the quaint school where she knew everyone, and a graduating class of only 13 students. She enjoyed pitching for the school softball team and played in a summer church league. Faith and community were paramount in her life growing up. She attended paralegal school at ULM, working first at Chase, then at Dean Morris in Monroe. She became a kindergarten teacher’s assistant at Northeast Baptist School where Griffin attended, and now works in accounts payable at CenturyLink. This is her 7th year. She was just living her life, and then cancer struck.

Renee detected the lump lying down. A rather larger mass, she wondered, “What is that?” She went to see her longtime nurse practitioner, Wayne Rutledge. A mammogram confirmed the doctor’s suspicions and set off a chain of events that resulted in surgery within just a month. The pace of the treatment paired with the fear of the unknown was hard to bear. Everything in her world stopped. She was diagnosed Stage 2B, meaning the cancer was in her lymph nodes, but not in her organs. Her oncologist surgeon, Dr. Kevin Marler and cosmetic surgeon Dr. Henry Davis performed the mastectomy and reconstruction. She faced chemo and radiation after surgery. Dr. Barron at Oncology Associates walked Renee through the process, her local support for the procedures and aftermath. Barron looked for a source of the cancer, but when Renee tested negative for the BRCA gene, the cause remained a mystery.

Renee admits she can’t imagine battling this disease without a grounded support system. Her mom, Sherry Battaglia, and her son Griffin helped immensely. Her faith played a significant part, as well. Renee became a better Christian. Cancer is isolating; she couldn’t work due to sickness from the treatment. She endured 9months of chemo and 6 weeks of radiation after the surgery that removed her left breast and 17 lymph nodes. She remembers crying when she first removed the bandage. Her breasts didn’t match, and while it may sound trivial, a woman wants to feel like a woman. The scars are a visible reminder of the horrors of the disease, but also a testament to her getting through it.

During chemo, Renee was homebound, too afraid of getting sick. She read a lot of books, but again felt isolated from the outside world. Everyone else was living, and she was just trying to stay alive. She battled depression and credits her mother, son, and co-workers for keeping her focused on the positive. Sherry and Renee read, prayed, and watched movies together, and Renee was put on several prayer lists. People would text her prayers and motivational videos. It helped ease the loneliness; she felt like someone cared. Griffin and his friends helped around the house, cooking and doing chores. He didn’t care she didn’t have any hair, she just kept reminding her she was going to be fine. She was surprised by her 15-year-old son’s reaction and how he became a beacon of hope. Cancer and treatment mean a “lot of ups and downs, but a lot more downs,” says Renee. Having always been a giver and a doer, she had to stop and just get through it. She also attended a community support group. It helped to talk to other people going through the same battle.

Losing her hair was one of the hardest parts to accept. She relied on baseball caps and wigs, eventually ditching the wigs due to the heat. She had to come out of her shell, break away from her shy nature, and just accept it. She kept telling herself, “I have it. This is me. And I’m going to survive it.” Her mom is a hairdresser and shaved Renee’s head. She cried the whole time. It’s not something most women experience, and while it’s just hair, it’s visible to everyone. Renee endured the stares and awkward glances and emotional turmoil of it all at the same time. She finished radiation in April of 2018, and tests showed she had “no evidence of the disease.” She must take an estrogen-blocker for ten years, as her type of cancer is estrogen-fed. Every three months, she went to see Dr. Barron for blood work; she just graduated to every six months, a milestone in recovery.
Cancer taught Renee to pay attention to her own health. She cautions others to get tested, look for early signs of the disease. Early detection makes all the difference in living or dying. She learned to love herself, and in the process, care more deeply about others.

Four other women in her community were diagnosed around the same time. She makes suggestions when they need advice and comfort when they’re down, what she knows patients need. She truly listens to people. We always say “fine” when asked how we’re doing. She asks patients twice, because she knows it’s never fine. Even now, Renee says she still hurts all over. The emotional weight, the physical toll, and the isolating result of cancer is unimaginable to most. Having lived it, Renee encourages others to be there for those suffering, and taking care of yourself is most important.

Above: Bedroom Before

Renee’s Nomination:

We would like to nominate Renee Battaglia Steverson who works with my husband at CenturyLink. After asking our friend Taylor Bennett, about the competition and telling him about Renee, he strongly encouraged us to submit her story. 
As a single mother of a recent high school graduate battling the side effects of aggressive cancer treatment, Renee puts her own needs last and greets each day with a positive attitude. We feel that your surroundings have a definite impact on your mental state and would LOVE to see this beautiful, deserving woman receive a room makeover that gives her the fortitude to keep going. Having a special place to refresh and relax would be such a blessing for her. 
Approximately two years ago, Renee discovered a large, hard lump before going in for a mammogram. During the ultrasound, another lump was discovered. Biopsy revealed that it was indeed cancer somewhere between stage 2 and stage 3. Renee had a mastectomy surgery and over 17 lymph nodes removed. After recovering as much as possible from surgery, she began taking “red devil chemo” which is the strongest chemo used. During her rounds of chemo and radiation, she overcame shingles, cellulitis, pneumonia, E Coli, sepsis, and multiple surgeries including reconstruction. Despite feeling overwhelmed physically, emotionally, and financially, she persisted and entered remission in April, 2018. She had quite a scare in July 2019 when her mammogram came back as abnormal. Thankfully, biopsy revealed that it was scar tissue. She still has constant pain and swelling as a result of treatment and medications. 
While I have told you about Renee the cancer patient, I would now like to tell you about Renee the person. When I asked some of her coworkers for help in writing this nomination, they were all too eager to sing her praises. She is so much more than a cancer survivor. She is a mom. A friend. A coworker. An encourager. 
Thank you for considering her as a candidate. I lost my aunt (more like second mom) after three rounds of battling breast cancer, so this cause is near and dear to my heart. I cannot thank you enough for doing this in honor of breast cancer awareness month. ~ Sarah Romero

Bedroom Makeover

The dramatic makeover of Renee’s room was a combination of trial-and-error, patience, skill and a lot of luck with talented volunteers. Designer Taylor Bennett conceptualized the color palette in hues of gray, blue, gold and white. The focus wall was painted Hale Navy by Benjamin Moore with the remaining walls painted Weathered White by Behr. All of the paints used in the room were donated by Superior Paint & Drywall. Taylor said, “I wanted Renee to have a beautiful space to come home to. This room evokes tranquility, but the elements used in the room give it a glamorous feel.”
Originally, the flooring wasn’t in the scope of the renovation, but it quickly became a necessity. Thanks to designer Tish Miller and Brent Harrod, new flooring was donated and installed. There was a team of volunteers who offered their time and skills to accomplishing the room makeover. From scraping ceilings to hanging artwork, moving furniture to painting hardware these individuals offered to help reimagine this space: Sarah and Jacob Romero, Penny Lawrence, Jack Green, Max Clark, Page Jones, Caleb Mott, Katelyn Tolbert, Ashley Hubenthal and Trent Livingston.

The centerpiece for the room is a gorgeous gilded framed bed donated by Material Things. Beautiful bedding by Pine Cone Hill was provided by Haven, and a navy faux fur pillow from local interior designer Robin Hamaker completes the look.

On the opposite wall, a weathered white dresser with gold ring pulls was donated by Sleepy Hollow Furniture. A custom painted canvas was generously donated and painted by Sue Sartor, as well as a floral tunic (seen in Renee’s portrait) from Sue’s kaftan and tunic line of clothing. Candles from Woodstock Garden & Gifts illuminate the room.

A reading nook was created by adding an upholstered chair with nailheads and a large abstract piece painted by Robin Hamaker. Florals and greenery from Carlstedt’s was thoughtfully placed throughout the room in vases and planters from Palette House. Custom silk drapes in dark navy and curtain rods were donated by Fabulous Fabric. Hand-lettered wall hangings sentimental to Renee were created by Meagan Russell of Nib & Flow.

“A thank you seems to be nothing compared to what each person/business did for me. You gave me the gift of kindess and love that I will forever treasure. Coming home to my bedroom is a beautiful retreat. I will always be grateful. Thank you for eveything.” – RENEE STEVERSON

From Cassie Livingston (publisher BayouLife):
I want to thank everyone who was involved in this project. Thank you to Sarah and Jacob for nominating Renee. Thank you Peggy Lawrence for helping in huge ways. Thank you to our incredible sponsors for donating money for us to do this bedroom makeover, and our partner the Cancer Foundation League. Thank you Taylor Bennett for your incredible vision. Thank you Page and Caleb for coming and lending a hand… or four. Thank you Robin Hamaker for your gorgeous painting and pillow, and running around all day for us. Thank you Tish and Brent for coming to the flooring rescue and for installing it … yourselves (and for trimming the azaleas). Thank you dad for helping me move furniture and loading up trash. Thank you Shawn Brazzell for all the installation help. Sue Sartor – I can’t believe you pulled together a custom painting for us so quickly – thank you! To my incredible staff – Katelyn, Ashley and Meagan, thank you for spending your day off with ALL the manual labor. Lastly, thank you to our generous businesses for donating items that pulled this room together: Material Things, Carlstedt’s, Haven, Palette House, Woodstock Garden & Gift, Fabulous Fabric, Superior Paint & Drywall and Sleepy Hollow Furniture.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

MICKEL PLASTIC SURGERY