Chic Spotlight: Jamie Hoffpauir

Cincy Chic: When were you were diagnosed?
Jamie Hoffpauir: I was diagnosed with breast cancer in January 2001. I was mother of one child, Madison, who was age 4 at the time, and six months pregnant with my second child, Jack, who is now 6. I was working as a personal trainer, spin instructor and group exercise instructor at the Mercy Healthplex in Anderson.

Cincy Chic: Tell us about your fight with cancer – what were some of your biggest ups and downs on that journey?
Hoffpauir: I had a whole year of chemotherapy, radiation and surgeries. What did I tell myself to get through it? I had a mantra that I said to myself every night, every day and a lot of times every hour, every minute: "you are strong and you are healthy." I had a picture/visualization of myself as being strong and healthy. The mantra and the visual were so helpful at times when intense fear would take over.

Cincy Chic: If you had to pick one thing that pulled you through that difficult time, what would it be?
Hoffpauir: There was not one thing that pulled me through that year. My husband, Todd, my daughter Madison, my parents, my brother and sister-in law, Dr. Cody and the staff at Cincinnati Hematology and Oncology and even the kind words of complete strangers pulled me through.

Cincy Chic: How are you different since you were diagnosed?
Hoffpauir: I do not tolerate excuses or complaints from people. I am inpatient with complacent behavior. I can handle physical challenges without giving up (long distance cycling, etc.) because I know I went through something much more difficult.

Cincy Chic: What does being a breast cancer survivor mean to you?

Hoffpauir: I am in a unique (and growing in numbers) sisterhood of women. One that I did not choose to become a member, but for reasons I will never understand, I was selected.