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Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Festival of Champions

Cathy Morelli - Dressage National Championship Record Holder
By Lynndee Kemmet for DressageDaily.com

Double Masectomy - Advantage in Riding!

And when she says that nothing should be taken for granted, she means nothing, not even life. Just three months before competing in this year’s Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Festival of Champions, Morelli underwent a double mastectomy. She first had a bout with breast cancer eight years ago and it recently returned. But a week after surgery, she was back in the saddle.

“They think they got it all and I didn’t need chemotherapy. They’re quite sure it didn’t spread and they got it soon enough,” Morelli said. The cancer reappeared in one breast but she opted to have both removed, which, she said, would also make her body more balanced. That was because she also chose not to have reconstructive surgery after doing a bit of research and talking to others who had. After her own experience, she thinks more women should consider this option.

“For me, it was the right decision. I healed much faster than the first time around and I’ve been told with the reconstructive surgery there’s a long healing process,” she said.

In fact, Morelli jokes that her surgery is a great advantage for a rider. “There’s definitely an upside for riders – no bouncing up front. After the surgery, I actually felt the best when riding. I had more trouble sleeping. I guess my body is so used to riding and being active that I actually felt great when I rode.”