Meet Barbara.

In February of 2019 she had plans of going down to Mets Spring Training, until she found out that she had breast cancer. Both the Mets season and support she found from a Mets Facebook fan page, helped her in her battle and reassured her that she was going to be okay.

Tell me your story.

In December 2018, I went for my routine mammogram, and thought nothing of it. A few weeks later, got a letter from the facility telling me I needed additional imaging, but I still wasn’t worried – that is, until an ultrasound revealed a small “something” that needed to be biopsied. I thought then and there it was bad, and when my doctor called me himself, I knew it was bad.

Everything after that is a blur – my doctor referred me to a surgeon, who had me scramble to get mammograms films and reports, test results, tissue samples and lab work – all this kept me busy. This all happened in February 2019, and my husband and I put our plans to go to Spring Training on hold.

Fast forward to March, when I had my surgery, good results – small lump, no spread – and the start of baseball season. Instead of pain, discomfort and fear, I could focus for a few hours on baseball, and my beloved Mets. It got me through chemo and radiation, when I found out my oncologist is a Mets fan  (my “chemo bag” – blanket, books, snacks for the infusion – is a Mets bag from a giveaway) and said she’d have to keep me around for just that reason. Miserable as I felt, focusing on baseball, and stressing about the team, helped me to stop thinking about myself 24/7.

During all this, my husband was my rock, and really only support. I chose not to tell my son (on deployment in a submarine) or daughter (studying abroad in Israel) or mother (dealing with her own health issues), so that was tough.

One great diversion was a Mets Facebook page, where I could forget about myself for a while, and whose members knew of my diagnosis and were always checking up on me. We met at Citi Field for a game, and the support and love was overwhelming, as was the diversion of going to a game and focusing on the team I’ve followed for 50 years. I made it a point to wear a Mets shirt, or a rubber Mets bracelet I had, as a good luck talisman.

The defining moment came on my birthday, August 5th, a doubleheader. It was a Monday, and one game was the rescheduled rained out Mother’s Day game, started at four. I lied to the boss, told him I had a doctor’s appointment (he’s not a Mets fan) and left early. I went with my husband and daughter, both Mets fans, and we splurged and got great seats.

Jacob pitched the first game, and as we were sitting in the sun, the stress began to fade away, and for the first time in so long, I was able to savor the moment and lose myself in the game. Jake was brilliant, pitched a fantastic game and got a couple of RBIs, so Game 1 was “in the books.” Tired as I was, we stayed for Game 2, and for a while, it didn’t look good, but as a Mets fan, “Ya Gotta Believe” and because it was that kind of season, they were down going into the seventh, we thought about leaving, but took a leap of faith and were rewarded with back-to-back home runs by Michael Conforto and Pete Alonso! Or, as I’m told Gary Cohen called it, with a fantastic Springsteen reference (my other obsession, that also got me through) Scooter and the Big Man!

It was at that moment, absolutely joyous and ecstatic, I knew I was going to be okay, don’t ask how I knew it, it was just a sense of euphoria, well-being and determination. I was lost in the moment of the game, but on the ride home, I thought of the team never giving up and fighting for the win, and said, I can do that, too, Let’s Go Mets and Let’s Go Meeeeee! Silly as it sounds, that was one of the best moments in what was otherwise a crappy year. Going forward, I thought less and less about myself, and really loved the drive to the finish, even though the Mets didn’t make it to the playoffs.

And this year, we did plan on Spring Training, but my mother again got sick and then the coronavirus hit. It’s a bittersweet year for the game, but we’re determined to go to Spring Training next year, and I can’t tell you how much I’m hoping this year goes well for baseball in general, and for my beloved Mets.

Wow! Thank you for sharing all of that. First off, how are you doing today?

I’m feeling as strong as I did before diagnosis, all my labs and scans are good, and I feel fine, so hopefully this was just a blip in the road. Fingers crossed… and I have a new appreciation for the saying that good health is everything (it really is).

I am so glad to hear that! Now, did this lack of baseball (or baseball coming back) have a different meaning/perspective for you?

I missed baseball, but I think maybe I was more aware of the health risks than others – I’m thrilled it’s back but it’s not quite the same. I keep thinking of the people surrounding the players – coaching staff, laundry, caterers, drivers, etc. and their families, and thinking, when does this implode? Because life can change in a second, and you’re left saying, what just happened? The highs and lows are there, but less drastic to me, so I’m happy if they win, but if they lose, it’s not as upsetting.

I love that you mentioned the Mets fan page in particular and that other fans were able to be there for you. Can you elaborate a bit more about this for other fans who may not know about the fan page? Have any particular relationships/friendships come from this page?

The Mets page that helped was on Facebook and is actually a page dedicated to our fantastic TV broadcast team, Gary, Keith, and Ron. It’s run by Gary’s wife, who’s an amazing woman (and who helped me through mentally and emotionally during the first few weeks). She runs a tight ship – I think of it as a safe zone. Rules are simple: no politics, no bullying, name calling, or nastiness – and those posts that break the rules are reported by a very alert and involved membership.

I’ve met a few people from the group at games that Lynn’s organized get-togethers for, and I keep in touch with a number of members, we even get together outside of ball games. We’re from different backgrounds, areas of the country (even some from overseas) and we have one thing in common to unite us, our beloved team. We do a gift exchange and a card exchange, we fundraise for members facing hardships, and during the winter holidays, Lynn organizes a drive for gifts, food and goodies, games for children, Mets-themed winter wear, etc. It’s more than just an ordinary fan page, it really is a Mets family and definitely a life saver for many of us.

Do you have a story you want to share about how the Mets helped you through a difficult time? We want to hear it – DM us on Twitter.