New Caney cancer survivor inspiration to many
By Kristy Thomas
Updated: 05.25.10
The East Montgomery County Observer: view article
After being diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer in September 2008, 10 surgeries, six months of chemotherapy and radiation treatments, Robin Miller still managed to go to work everyday with a smile on her face and be an inspiration to others.
New Caney resident Miller, who is currently in remission, said with the help of family and co-workers, she was able to get through the hard times and try not to dwell on the negative.
CFO Robin Kocina of Kocina Marketing, said that Miller would come to work every day ready and willing to continue meeting deadlines and never let a bad situation get in her way.
“Her positive attitude and courage was infectious. Robin didn’t dwell in the fear and negative. She found the little joys in life and she taught us all to do the same thing,” said Kocina.
Miller said there were specific ways she was able to maintain a positive attitude and helped keep her spirits up.
For one, Miller said she took control of the cancer by researching hours online about her specific type of breast cancer.
“I wanted to become an expert on what was dominating my life, and threatening to take my life away from me,” said Miller.
Next, she said that she refused to hide behind the diagnosis. Miller created a support group across the country with her friends and co-workers called “Team Happy Hour”. With that support group she was able to receive supportive e-mails, notes, and gifts all wishing her well in her hard times.
Miller said she also would not allow people or circumstances to drag her down.
“Almost immediately, I felt stronger and more in control. It was a weight off my shoulders to simply turn away from people and situations that would make my life miserable,” said Miller.
Miller said she also recognized that there would be days when things weren’t going well and she felt like the whole world was caving in on top of her. She said when those days hit, she would find reasons to laugh every day and try to do what it took to move forward from feeling down about her situation.
“I was cracking jokes with the nurses and my doctors before my surgeries. Once when I had to be awake during a surgical procedure, the nurses and I were singing Sweet Caroline along with Neil Diamond as his music played over the speaker system in the OR,” said Miller.
Miller’s attitude was an inspiration to many, including her co-workers that are international within the Kocina Marketing group.
“Robin has inspired people coast to coast with her strength and determination and her love of life,” said Peggy Davies, publicist of Media Relations, parent company of Kocina Marketing.
Because Miller has been an inspiration to her company and others, Kocina Marketing and Media Relations has arranged for Miller to be a guest speaker at the Girlfriend’s Expo conference in the fall. Miller said she was surprised to be asked to speak at the conference and said she was overall “mystified” by the reaction she has gotten from her co-workers.
“Frankly, I’m mystified by their reaction. Breast cancer is now part of who I am, but I won’t let it totally define who I am,” said Miller. “I’m candid about this journey mostly because there is so much that people are unaware of about this disease.”
Miller said one of the hardest things about having breast cancer is accepting that her life will never be the same as it was before the diagnosis. She said other breast cancer survivors explained to her that she will start living the “new normal”, which can be hard to adjust to.
“Even after treatment, the fear of recurrence never completely goes away,” said Miller.
Miller said for those that are going through the same thing she has been through, the best advice she can give is to remember to smile.
“One of my favorite sayings is Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain,” said Miller.
