The Heart of a Hero

The following information from a flyer by the American Cancer Society was shared by Gwinnett County Police Department in support of one of their own.

Gwinnett County Police Department's Sandra Pryor is a 22-Year law enforcement officer, SWAT officer, athlete, sprinter, biker, competitive body builder - and a cancer survivor.

At the young age of 17, Sandra Pryor discovered a lump in her breast, was told it was just a cyst, and not to worry. Sandra made self-breast exams a monthly routine. As a gifted athlete, Sandra was a picture of health and physical fitness, following all of the American Cancer Society’s guidelines for reducing cancer risks. Years later, in 2001, a lump was found during a self-exam. The next step was an ultrasound, confirming stage 3-A breast cancer (HER2 positive).

Following a mastectomy, the American Cancer Society assisted in finding the clinical trial Sandra participated in for the drug, Procrit. She believes the effectiveness of the clinical trial enabled her to continue a normal routine of working in law enforcement, biking, running 3-5 miles daily, and lifting weights throughout her 8 chemotherapy treatments. Others attribute this to her gift of self-discipline, competitive nature, and focus on reaching her goals....the true heart of a hero.

Sandra remains a dedicated volunteer for the American Cancer Society by participating with her Relay For Life team of law enforcement officers, and recruiting survivors to the event. She believes in being your own advocate concerning personal health and wellness, and takes a stand on doing self-breast exams along with annual
mammograms.

Fellow officers honored Sandra when they selected her to receive the SWAT Officer of the Year in 2009 and she cherishes the award. However, she maintains today, that of any accolades attained in life, her greatest point of pride is the reward of being known as a Cancer Survivor.

American Cancer Society Contact information – 24 hours a day – 7 days a week – 365 days a year:

1-800-227-2345  – www.cancer.org