LUZERNE COUNTY, Pa. — Melissa Ostroskie of Wyoming was mourning the loss of her brother in September 2020 after he died of pancreatic cancer. One month later, the 39-year-old found out she had cancer herself.
"It was scary. It was very frightening. I have two small children who are now 11 and eight and for them to hear that I had cancer was scary, as well as my whole family," Ostroskie said.
Melissa was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was caught at an early stage, but she decided to have a double mastectomy.
"I didn't want to keep going for biopsies or lumpectomies. I just wanted to be done with it," Ostroskie said.
"Because of Melissa's age and the testing of the DNA, her reoccurrence score was a little on the higher side so she did get chemotherapy. But I expect her prognosis to be very good," Dr. Jacqueline Oxenberg said.
After her surgery and 13 rounds of chemotherapy, Melissa was cancer free.
She could have kicked her feet up after that, but instead threw herself into helping others. Melisa got a job at Candy's Place, which is a cancer wellness center in Forty Fort.
"I have tremendous support from family and friends but to get the support from others on that similar journey is so helpful and it makes you feel hopeful," Ostroskie said.
Melissa also won the Paint Pittston Pink Survivors Award in September 2021. June is National Cancer Survivor's Month, and Melissa is using her own diagnosis as a way to help others.
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