35-year-old Naperville mom Laura Panozzo had always been healthy…no big health scares, no worrying aches and pains. So it was a shock when she received news last summer that would change her life forever.
“I am Stage 4 metastatic breast cancer that was diagnosed ‘De Novo,’ which means that it was diagnosed as Stage 4 right off the bat,” said Panozzo, founder of Marryment Wedding Consulting and Design.
Local mom says swimming ‘didn’t feel right’
The local wedding planner said there were no signs and no family history of the illness, nothing that would have urged earlier screening than the recommended age of 40 and above, as advised by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
It was only when she went swimming that she noticed something didn’t feel right, so she saw a doctor.
“I’m so grateful that I had a doctor who took me seriously, who got me into imaging right away,” she said.
Breast cancer diagnosis brings uncertainty and heartache
One day, at work, she received a call with the news that she had breast cancer, and worse, learned that it had spread to her lymph nodes, lung, liver, and spine.
“I remember receiving the information and not really fully processing it. And I think that’s a very common situation with people where they hear the words and everything kind of goes blank. And that was very much my experience too,” she said.
As the reality of the diagnosis set in, she said one of the hardest parts was having to tell her family, especially her 4-year-old daughter.
“Breaking the news was certainly an emotional time. I made a number of phone calls right away to my brothers, who have been an incredible support, an amazing group of friends here in the area who have shown up for me just in such incredibly beautiful ways,” said Panozzo.
“Telling my daughter was incredibly difficult, too. I did seek the help of a child therapist to make sure that I was using language that was age-appropriate and would give her the information without scaring her,” she said
The next hurdle was treatment, the 21-day chemotherapy cycle she was prescribed, which she said takes two to three hours. Then, there was the hair loss that came with it.
“My hair was absolutely an expression of myself…And I think I had a false sense of hope in those early treatments [that] okay, maybe, it won’t fall out. And then when it did start to go, I made the decision pretty early to shave it initially,” she said
But despite her struggles with cancer, Panozzo says she’s determined not to let the disease steal her joy.
To regain a sense of self, she recently underwent scalp micropigmentation on her head and eyebrows, a tattoo process that creates the illusion of hair follicles.
“It’s amazing. And so it’s given me a lot more confidence just to present myself to the world, and not necessarily be hiding behind a wig or a hat. Again, those are incredibly valid ways that people can present themselves, but this just felt a lot more authentic to me. And, I’m starting to like it a little bit,” she said.
Panozzo to host fundraiser for breast cancer research
She also decided to turn her experience into a chance to give back. Panozzo is hosting a Wedding Expo and fundraiser on Feb. 28 at The Crawford, located at 119 Shuman Blvd., Naperville, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Proceeds from the event will go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and to her business.
There are expected to be over 70 vendors in attendance, along with a tattoo artist selling select tiny tattoos on site. If an attendee spends $100 or more to get a tattoo, Panozzo will get a matching one.
“As a wedding planner, something that’s so deeply important to me is bringing people together in community, celebrating love and togetherness, and what better way to give back to the community, to be in celebration with each other, than to host this type of event?” she said.
As she battles breast cancer, Panozzo says she remains optimistic, in part due to the medical advances in cancer treatment. But her greatest strength, she says, comes from her daughter.
“She is just such an incredible source of light and life and hope for me. She is really the reason that I continue to fight and will continue to fight,” said Panozzo.
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