Finish Line Marks Triumph Over Breast Cancer
Category : blog
When Ami Mehr, a young mom from Upton, learned she had breast cancer in May, she resolved that cancer would not dictate the terms of her life. When she was diagnosed, she set one goal that would get her through her hardship—rowing in the 50th Head of the Charles Regatta. On Saturday, cancer free, she realized that goal when she and her Quinsigamond Rowing Association teammates posted a time of 21:50 to finish 25th in the women’s masters fours. There were three other rowers and a coxswain in the boat, and they all drew their strength from Mehr’s.
“It was a given. There was no doubt in my mind that in our Head Of The Charles boat, Ami would be in that boat,” said QRA head coach Julie Waddell. “The majority of our team knew that it’s Ami and she’s not giving up to anything. She’ll be there and she’ll be on the water.”
When she was diagnosed, Mehr opted for the most aggressive form of treatment, a double mastectomy followed by reconstructive surgery all in one go. Her reasoning for this was that she would forever lower her chance of getting breast cancer again, and raise her chance of recovering in time to row in the Head Of The Charles.
