From Cancer Survivor to Advocate: Dawn Romano’s Journey with Tissue Donation and Hope

Dawn Romano, LCSW, LSCSW, Midwest Transplant Network Authorization Educator, shares her experience with cancer and breast reconstruction.

Dawn Romano is a clinically licensed social worker who focuses on organ and tissue donation as an Authorization Educator for Midwest Transplant Network. She joined MTN 15 years ago as a Family Services Coordinator.

Through the years Dawn has grown in her roles at MTN. “I have learned how to care for a family in their time of need and beyond,” she said.

What is the most challenging learning experience Dawn has faced? It was when she became a donor tissue recipient during her recovery from breast cancer and multiple surgeries associated with her care. She was diagnosed with an early stage of breast cancer in April 2008. She had a lumpectomy and 33 rounds of radiation. She believed she was cancer-free until life handed her another curveball in the summer of 2015.

She felt a lump on her breast but ignored it because she didn’t think it was cancer again. A mammogram and biopsies confirmed the cancer had returned and was more aggressive. The next four months included chemotherapy treatments, hair loss and discouragement. “Looking at myself after the double mastectomy was the hardest thing to see and live with.”

Becoming a Donor Tissue Recipient

Dawn and her surgeon discussed the possibility of breast reconstruction. “I wanted to do whatever it took to feel like a natural woman,” she said. “I wanted to be the healthiest version of myself that was possible.”

Reflecting on her breast reconstruction Dawn said it is an intimate and personal decision after a mastectomy. “Everyone needs to weigh the options and make their own decisions. Having breasts was important to me. I wanted to create a new normal.”

She stressed it’s important for people to know the reconstruction process is complex and takes longer than you expect. “People don’t realize it is more than a surgery,” Dawn said.

What helped Dawn was the strength she found in her faith, family and friends. “I started a blog to sort through my own emotions and thoughts. I documented the milestones and how I felt physically and emotionally,” she said. “It was also therapeutic for me to put my thoughts in writing and share it with others.”

Cancer changed Dawn’s life in many ways. “I have learned patience and grace; how strong I am and how much I am loved,” she said.

Helping Others

Today, Dawn has no evidence of cancer and is driven to help others. She is now involved in educating people about cancer while supporting and mentoring individuals through the process. Her daily blog is now an October event promoting Breast Cancer Awareness Month. She also shares her story informally with people.

She was raised to be a strong woman, and Dawn has always advocated for others. Her cancer and breast reconstruction have made her stronger than ever and she offers the following advice.

“First, it’s vital not to put off having your exam done,” Dawn said. “Men and women both need to have their tests done. People are often uncomfortable getting a mammogram, but cancer is more uncomfortable than having a mammogram.”

The second point is always taking another person with you to your doctor’s appointments. “Having another person there will help you get the details you need, and they can also ask questions. When you hear the doctor say you have cancer, it’s difficult to hear anything else after that.”

A Heartfelt Thanks

Thanking her donor heroes is the most important thing for Dawn. “We often hear that tissue donation is life-enhancing, but for many of us, it has saved our lives in countless ways.”

Dawn wrote touching letters to her donor hero families and shares a few of her thoughts here: Every day when I look in the mirror I am reminded of cancer. It’s been an extremely difficult and life-changing journey. But I’m alive and I’m a fighter. And I know I’m not alone on this journey. I have an amazing support system by my side, but I also have your loved one who has become a part of this journey and fights alongside me.