cancer. "It makes it more real for them," she said. Ignet was diagnosed with breast cancer in early 2005. She found alump on herbreast during a regular self check, but she didn't think much of it. "I usually checked myself once a month." she said. 'When I found the lump, I just thought it was calcium build up. I went througlt every excuse in the book." It wasn't until she went to her physician for another mat- ter when she brought up the lump. "I could tell by his reaction that it was going to be bad,r' Ignet said. The lump turned out to be two malignant tumors and Ignetwas diagnosed as being in an advanced stage of breast cancer. A month later, the tumors and several lymph nodes were removed and Ignet began her battle against breast cancer. A susrzivor's story By Dana Rasmussen f0* te; Siaflwriter d*l drassmussen@tcnewsnet.com Amy lgPet is a wife, mother, sister and amillion otherthings - and one of those things just happens to be breast cancer srrwivor. Ignet, who works in the board office for TiPP CitY Schools, attended the VolleY for the Cure event last week along with several other sr-rrvivors, even thougfi she said she does- n't like to be thought of as "dif- ferent" because she's had breast cancer. "People tend to look at You like you're different because you've had or have breast can- cer," Ignet said. 'And we don't feel different, but I think in a way, we are, because it did happen." Though Ignet said she does- n't like too much attention focused on her, she wanted to be included in the event because she wanted TiPP stu- dents to be able to see her face and realize that someone theY Ignet said one of her fondest ed to go to the mailbox no mat- mernories of her wig was the ter how exhausted I was"' ti^" t., son brouglrt his new To keep herself going' Ignet nititt "A home fJr the first said she also continued to work il;:;""^^l"iJ "n. was half-days at the board office *ut t Aio "t y away from heat and only missed six weeks of while wearing the wig, but work when she was recovering thouglrt it would be ok to get from her surgery' tft -fi"-tg""outoftheoven' "She was really brave"'dis- "tt sinled the bangs riglrt off," trict lolmunicatons director she said. ,,I couldn,t taie it off Kitty hbo said. "If you didn't lnl-lo back to the table alreadyknowshewassick'you U."..i. that would have made couldn't tell' She always put on it too awtr(Mard for my son's a smile'" girlfriend. So I just wore it.'' Ig5ret has been cancer free for -Gn.t said ' her sense of trvo years' She goes in for check humorhasbeemonumentalinupseverysixmontlrstomake FG ner ttrouglr her battle sure !ht- cancer hasn't wittr cancer' returned' She said Lher-e is a "I lauglr all ttre time," she good chance the cancer will said. 'You have to laug!r'; ieturn and lf it does' it would Dudng ttre seven rionths it beinoneofherorgans'butshe took for Ignef s cancer to go into said she doesn't waste her time ;;;""t;, she said "ht -"" worrying about that' able to make it through 'You can battle cancer physi" because of ttre support from cally' but it takes a iot to get tr..-f"ttify and fi:iends and by tttrough the mentai aspect of il;*iili"gl ss to let it Dea-t it"'she said' "People think can- her. cer is scalY' but ifs noi scaV' 'The cards, food and gifts Weallhavechallenges'Youjust pJ;i; sent were huge to i-re.'' have to face it head on and just "tr. ".i4. "I was always so excit- $et on "l'ith life' ' AMY IGNET Every two weeks, Ignet underwent her chemotheraPY treatments while she was also receiving radiation treatment. She said the chemotheraPY caused her to lose her taste buds so that everything she ate or drank tasted metallic. "It was awfl-rl," she said. The chemotherapy also caused he{to start losing her hair, but she beat it to ttie pnnch by taking arazor toher head and shaving it all off. Then she got a wig. "l hated the wig," she said with a lau{h.