Camari Olson
The Warriors
Camari Olson
- age: 54
- year of diagnosis: 1997 and 2005
- survivor years: 17 years from my first cancer, 8 from my second.
- current city: Sammamish, WA
- type of breast cancer: First time it was medullary breast cancer. Second time it was a very rare form called metaplastic breast cancer. Less than 0.5% are this kind.
- profession: Firefighter
About Camari
- Camari is a two-time breast cancer survivor who threw herself into fighting the disease. During treatment she rode her bike to the hospital and work, a 46-mile round-trip. She has biked from Oregon to Canada, summited Mt. Rainier twice, gone skydiving, bungee jumping and swimming with sharks. Five years after her first diagnosis, she became a firefighter. “Surviving cancer taught me to accept challenges rather than shy away from them.”
Q&A
- What is your biggest fear?
- Fear of failure. It's what drives me to succeed
- What is your idea of happiness?
- Enjoying life in the here and now.
- When and where are you happiest?
- Having fun - whether it's at the fire station with my co-workers, having some laughs around the dinner table or with my family and friends doing activities we enjoy together.
- Who are your heroes in real life?
- My brothers. We have all overcome many obstacles in life. I'm proud of what they have become and treasure the deep friendship we share.
- What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
- Being a workaholic. It leaves no time to enjoy the other great things life has to offer.
- What is your current state of mind?
- Excited about the adventures life has in store for me - including being a 2014 Model of Courage!
- How has having breast cancer changed your outlook on life?
- It inspired me to seek out challenges rather than shy away from them.
- What do you consider your greatest achievement?
- Becoming a firefighter at age 38, five years after surviving my first breast cancer.
- What's something you've done that has challenged you?
- Climbing Mt. Rainier twice with a group of female cancer survivors from Team Survivor Northwest.
- What helped you deal with your cancer emotionally?
- Humor! I have lots of funny stories surrounding my experience with breast cancer.
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