When you walk into the ShopRite in Timonium, the first thing you see are big pink balloons, supporting Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.
What you may not see, is employee Lisa Sheaffer, who is a quiet survivor of breast cancer.
Sheaffer has been an employee with ShopRite for 45 years.
"She had some tough times, but we always tried to stick with her and support her in anyway that we could and we're glad that she's back with us happy and healthy," store manager Steven Starzynski said.
In 2014, Sheaffer went in for her annual mammography and it came back with three dark spots. She had three tumors in her lymph nodes, next to her breast.
"They were clustered, they [doctors] called them. Two were a centimeter and one was 2.5 centimeters," Sheaffer said.
First, she had to endure chemotherapy, to shrink the tumors down. Then, surgery to remove the cancer. More chemo. Then radiation, and another round of chemo.
Sheaffer said her husband and son remained strong on the outside, saying they were going to get this done, but filled with concern inside.
She finally heard the words she longed for, "You're cancer free" in 2016. That came from her doctor on Sept. 19.
"It feels so wonderful, it really does," Sheaffer said.
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During her fight, her son signed her up for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. She went in 2015, and was thrilled to see the survivor tent with Shop Rite's name on it.
"I was like a Survivor Tent? What is this? And then I realized Shop Rite's name was on the tent, and I was like Oh! I have to go in there!" Sheaffer said laughing.
Inside she saw her coworkers, all kinds of breakfast treats and drinks for the survivors, to nourish them before the race.
"It was amazing, you know the support and the love that was going through," Sheaffer said.
She said the race was full of people who congratulated her on her fight, and were fighting cancer together.
ShopRite in Timonium has funded the survivor tent since they opened five years ago.
"Quite frankly, it's the right thing to do," Starzynski said.
"ShopRite has been involved for 20 plus years, here in the northeast. We sponsor many Races for the Cure throughout the region, and it seemed only fitting when Shop Rite moved to Baltimore that we get involved with this Race for the Cure," community relations advocate Steven Hildner said.
Over the past three years, ShopRite has donated $30,000 to the Komen Foundation.
"We're in the fight with them [those who fight breast cancer] until the end," Hildner said.
Sheaffer tells other women, to get their annual mammography, and take care of yourself. She made the first step to take care of her body eight years ago, when she quit smoking.
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