LEWISTON, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- We could all use down time in our stressed out lives. But as Erica Lacasse dealt with the stress of breast cancer, down time was the last thing she wanted.
Erica was 27 years old when she got the diagnosis. Her long course of treatment tested her endurance with a lumpectomy, four rounds of chemotherapy and a double mastectomy.
Through it all, Erica said she needed to stay busy to give herself something to think about other than cancer.
The Dempsey Center gave Erica the help she needed to find activities she could handle such as yoga, massage and counseling sessions. Depending on how she felt, Erica said a short walk, a shower or even the effort to muster a smile were enough to fill her with a sense of accomplishment.
As much as those activities helped, Erica admits to many hard days:
It's okay to feel bad for yourself one day. It's okay. And a lot of people think, okay well, I can't feel bad for myself and just skip it over. Or on the total opposite side, have a pity party for yourself, and never go anywhere with it. So it's important to have that balance.
Erica said her approach to fighting cancer may not work for everybody. The same activities or level of exertion may not appeal to someone else. But Erica said the need for positivity is universal.