— Daily Freeman-Journal photo by Anne Blankenship Jodene Firsching of Webster City was selected to be the Honorary Chairman of the 2017 Relay for Life of Hamilton County. The event is Thursday night at West Twin Park.

Jodene Firsching of Webster City said a positive attitude and laughter are what helped her through treatment for breast cancer. She also credits her supportive family and friends.

Firsching is the 2017 Honorary Chairman for the Relay for Life of Hamilton County. This year’s relay takes place Thursday night at West Twin Park beginning at 6 p.m. Firsching and her family will carry the banner in the Survivor’s Lap to kick-off the annual fundraising event.

Back in 2014, she found a lump in her breast and called her doctor to set up a mammogram.

“I told him I don’t need a physical, I just need the mammogram,” she said. “But I knew it was breast cancer before I went in.”

She could tell just from how the lump felt and the mammogram confirmed her suspicions.

After the mammogram, before she even left the clinic, she was told she needed to head to Ames for further testing. Ultrasounds were performed and she was urged to come back for a biopsy a week later.

“But I was kind of stubborn,” she said. “I told them, ‘No, we’re going to do it now.’ They did the biopsy and three weeks later, I had my surgery.”

Firsching said she was glad she insisted on having the biopsy immediately, because when she returned for the surgery, the tumor had grown dramatically.

“The mass had quadrupled in size in that time,” she said. “It was a good thing that I didn’t wait,” she said.

Chemo and radiation therapy followed.

She and her husband, Bill, didn’t tell her two young sons, Isaac and Luke, about her cancer until after the surgery.

“We wanted to know the game plan. As young as they were, I didn’t want to scare them. But I also didn’t want them to hear ‘this is what’s going to happen’ and then have the plan change,” she said. “We waited until we knew what was going on.”

Firsching went a step further to help her sons understand what was happening. She took pictures are each appointment so they could see what the exam room or a chemo machine looked like.

“They actually went with me to some of the appointments. So they got to see the radiation machine,” she said.

Firsching said she and her husband had always been very open with their children. Her journey through cancer treatment was no different.

“If they had questions, we answered them. We tried to talk in language they would understand. And their friends would ask questions,” she said. “I was pretty open about stuff.”

After her surgery, Firsching underwent two types of chemotherapy — and was allergic to both.

“I had hives from the top of my bald head to the bottoms of my feet,” she said, “and they were down my esophagus and under my eyelids. That for me was the worst part. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.”

Firsching said she seemed to have all the “oddball” things happen to her.

“If there was a two percent chance of something happening, I’m you’re gal,” she said.

Firsching said she has some lasting effects from the cancer.

“I felt better during chemo,” she said. “I know that sounds dumb and people look at me like I’m crazy. But everything hurts and my joints are pretty well shot because of meds. My bones are in pretty bad shape because of chemo,” she said.

But it could be worse, she admits.

“I know there are people who have it much worse than I do,” she said.

She wrapped up her treatment in October 2014.

Firsching said her boys are excited to be part of the Relay for Life. They have participated as a family in the event for several years.

“They love Relay for Life. They ask me several times a year, ‘Will we be walking again this year?’ And I tell them, ‘Yes we will.’ It’s a family event.”

She said she wished everyone would get involved with the Relay for Life as cancer touches nearly everyone’s life.

“It doesn’t just affect the person who’s been diagnosed. It affects their kids, their spouses, their friends and co-workers.

“Cancer doesn’t discriminate. It doesn’t matter if you are a man, woman or child, young or old,” she said. “I look forward to the Relay every year because the community really comes together.”

She said staying positive is essential for those battle with cancer.

“You have to laugh. Laughter is the best medicine,” she said.