Reflecting on her experience with stage one breast cancer, Lauren Simpson wants to spread a message of hope and a call to action. “I want to encourage people and let them know that it is incredibly important to get all your medical tests and scans done on time,” says Lauren. “As I've been sharing my story, a lot of folks who are elderly assure me that they get all their checks done. But younger folks, those who are healthy in particular, often say that they’ve skipped their routine checks.”
In addition to the call to action, Lauren shares several things that helped her as she faced her diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. First, she says having a determined personality is a wonderful asset in these situations. “When faced with a problem, I tend to deal with it straight on,” shares Lauren. “I'm highly competitive and when something comes my way, I'm going to act and, in this case, start making doctor’s appointments. I was a highly motivated patient.”
Next, the support she received from colleagues made it possible to balance her recovery with her work as Mayor. “One of the things that made this easier for me was the sheer competency of the people around me, which is wonderful,” she says. “We have an amazing team at City Hall, including Mayor Pro Tem Randy Moorman, and the ability for me to turn over my mayoral duties for three weeks was so important.”
The encouragement and support Lauren received from family, friends, and the community also lifted her spirits and kept her going. “The day I shared my diagnosis publicly, I started getting emails from people with messages like, ‘We're behind you. We love you. You're going to get through this,’” remembers Lauren. “When you're Mayor, people usually come to you when they're unhappy about something; they don't always come to you when things are going right or when they're grateful. This was an opportunity for people to step up for me, and it meant a lot.”
Lauren was pleasantly surprised by how people, even strangers, responded and reached out to her. “To me, the most meaningful part of all of this has been that I've had numerous women, both in person as well as strangers online, comment on articles about me that they were scheduling their mammogram right then,” she recalls. “I had numerous friends, including younger women, text me photos from their appointments saying, ‘getting it done because of you, thanks for the nudge.’”
The outpouring of support also gave Lauren renewed appreciation for the people of Arvada. “I've always loved Arvada; but I don't think I've ever loved this city so much as I did through my recovery,” she says. “There was this incredible wave of public support. I came home from the hospital and there were all these cards, flowers, and care packages. I spent a month living in my downstairs recliner and my aunt, who came from Texas to help care for me, started taping cards to the wall around the fireplace. Every morning when I would wake up in that chair, the first thing I would see when I opened my eyes would be that wall covered in cards and well-wishes. I felt so uplifted and supported.”
Other things Lauren says are helpful for someone walking through recovery are meals and food delivery gift cards so that people can enjoy their favorite coffee and take out from the comfort of home. Lauren also suggests connecting with local resources and nonprofit organizations such as Hope Chest, Epic Experiences, and Cleaning for a Reason.
“I encourage people to look up resources that are available, both for their specific diagnosis or for their loved one, because there are so many resources out there,” she says. “There are so many good people doing good work, and you don't have to do this alone.”
“I've always loved Arvada; but I don't think I've ever loved this city so much as I did through my recovery"