Women who befriended each other during cancer treatment meet annually to celebrate being alive
By Susan-Elizabeth Littlefield
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MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (WCCO) — There’s something to be said about staying in touch with old friends, but four friends have done it against the greatest of odds.
Sandy Robertson, Terri Naab, Shari Hamlin and Priscilla Bauer gather on the shores of Lake Minnetonka at Maynard’s, traveling across the country, to commemorate each year they are still alive.
“They said, ’60/40, 60 you are gonna die.'” Bauer said.
It was when they were all facing their mortality that they first faced each other at Methodist Hospital’s oncology ward.
“We were all sitting next to each other in that radiation room. At first, we were just polite to each other and we all just started talking,” Bauer said.
They named their new social circle, the R-Gang, all in radiation at the same time.
Sometimes, the conversations were light, but sometimes they were heavy.
“After the whole breast cancer diagnosis, I said, ‘What am I doing in sales? I need to write.’ And so I quit my sales job and started writing,” Bauer said.
They still share perspectives every year and remember the two friends they lost along the way. Judy and Shirley died of other illnesses. Sherry, the youngest, died of cancer.
“She was very young, she got married in September and died in March,” Bauer said. “We all went to the wedding. It was one of the most beautifully sad events that I have ever been to. She was so special to us.”
The women say they are still so special to each other.
“Even though it was tragic and horrible, it was one of the best times in my life because I met these people,” Naab said.
“I will never let go of these girls, no, there’s just no way,” Hamlin said.
The ladies are all cancer-free and thriving. They’ll reunite again next year at Maynard’s.
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