REAL Exclusive Magazine

American Cancer Society

Bambi Famous Kaine: The Courage to Heal

By Lalaena Gonzalez-Figueroa

Photography by Chad Spencer

Faith is the strength by which a shattered world shall emerge into the light.~Helen Keller

Growing up, Bambi Famous Kaine was a champion for the underdog who was driven by an innate desire to help others. Hers was a large family, held tightly together by the bonds of love and fidelity. She believed in doing the right thing, in making the world a better place. It was, by her account, an idyllic existence. So there was no preparing herself for the unimaginable heartbreak that she would endure when tragedy struck. It would have been easy to succumb to the pain, to curl up into a ball and lose herself in the unfairness of it all. But Bambi was no victim. She emerged more focused than ever, using her story of survival to continue to make a difference in the lives of others.

In 2006 Bambi was devastated by the loss of her daughter Katelyn Joy Derstine in an automobile accident. The heartbreaking event left Bambi, her husband and children shattered, unsure of how to navigate the grieving process. Somehow they found a way to pick up the pieces, leaning heavily on the love and support of friends and family along the way.

A year after Katelyn’s passing, Bambi was dealt another crushing blow: she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Initially, she recalls, it was almost too much. “I thought I didn’t care if I lived or died,” she says. “But in my heart I knew that wasn’t true. I had to fight, for myself and for my family.” 

Bambi underwent chemotherapy six weeks after enduring a double mastectomy. During her first treatment, a volunteer with the American Cancer Society reached out to her offering support and information. She learned of the organization’s annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 5k Walk, and immediately began to organize a team of participants to join her less than a week after her first treatment. A group of 40 friends and family members rallied together. “They even brought a wheelchair for me, just in case I wasn’t physically able to complete the walk,” Bambi says. It was with those steps that she reaffirmed her life and her new objective: to survive breast cancer.

The process of battling any cancer is a painful one, both physically and emotionally. The American Cancer Society is a partner to individuals and their families facing this challenge, offering a wealth of information, resources and assistance. It’s not always easy to accept that help, acknowledges Bambi, who experienced firsthand the disconnect that may occur between a survivor and a newly diagnosed individual. “But the American Cancer Society is there when you need them,” she says. “Battling cancer is terrifying and exhausting. For me, there was comfort in knowing that others had been there, had made it. It helped me to believe that I could, too.”

Bambi has gone on to become an active board member with the ACS, participating in Pink Heals tour and volunteering with and chairing Making Strides events in Sarasota. She is a fervent advocate of the ACS, asserting, “It’s amazing what they have to offer.”

The American Cancer Society has invested over $3.5 billion in cancer research, providing integral funding in the pioneering of effective treatments and medications. The ACS’s Hope Lodge provides free lodging to patients and caregivers around the country during treatment, and maintains a comprehensive database of clinical trials and treatment providers. Volunteers coordinate personalized programs including rides to treatment, hair and makeup assistance, and peer counseling.

A state and regional winner of the ACS’s Courage Award, Bambi openly shares her story of survival to inspire and motivate others. Her recent five-year survival anniversary was accompanied by the sober reminder of the need for ongoing cancer research. “Friends who joined me on that first walk have been diagnosed, as have members of my family,” she reveals. “It’s a tough battle, but one that we will continue to fight.” With dignity and with hope, Bambi is leading by example.

American Cancer Society
www.cancer.org
2970 University Parkway
Sarasota, FL 34243
(941) 745.1214