Rose Kushner did not let up. After our meeting in Miama, she called every Friday.
“What have you done about setting up that non-profit?” she demanded.
“Nothing yet...." I would start to explain why, but she was a "no excuse" persona and she’d launch into her next question.
“How many letters have you written about the need for Medicare to cover screening mammograms?”
“Well, I’ve started…” My feeble explanations were never enough. I wanted to say,"I’m working 55-60 hours a week at my regular job, plus doing everything needed for The Rose. And some days I just run out of me."
“Have you even called your Congressman?” Her questions pummeled over the phone lines. I would usually hang up feeling totally chastised and also totally resolved that I would get something – anything—done by her next call.
Rose felt it was her duty to personally remind us about what needed to be done. Whether it was a new bill before Congress, the insurance debate, or informed consent, we needed to know about it and, more importantly, do something about it.
No one would deny that it was Rose’s influence and dogged determination that resulted in the introduction of a Congressional bill authorizing Medicare coverage for screening mammograms. She pulled out all the stops for that one. She arranged for Dixie to testify in front of the Senate Committee on Health. What an opportunity!
Of course, Rose convinced Dixie it was perfectly normal to fly to Washington, testify before Congress and also pay all your own expenses. Some days you didn’t know what hit you once Rose got started.
When the day came for her to testify, Dixie carried the black cassette that housed her precious slide program of photos – including the ones of the advanced cancer. She never let it out of her sight. She dressed conservatively, put on her best doctor face, and sat waiting in the illustrious chambers as the committee gathered. Suddenly she realized that her body was moving uncontrollably. Back and forth her torso bounced, slamming her back against the chair. It was her heart -- beating so hard it literally moved her chest. There was no way to stop it. She took a deep breath and pulled away from the chair seat but it continued to pound. She was so intent on trying regain control, she didn’t hear Senator Ted Kennedy invite her to the microphone. He announced her name a second time. Once she took her place and those slide images hit the screen, she returned to pure Dixie form.
She looked straight at the Chairman, shook her finger at him, then pointed to the screen. “That, Mr. Chairman, could be a picture of your mother or grandmother!”
The bill passed. Although it was repealed in November 1989, the law was reinstated in January 1991. Rose told a "funny" inside story about that bill. She said it passed only because the senators were convinced that women would not really use it. I bet they were surprised as that line item in the budget kept increasing, year after year.
When we finally started our non-profit and decided to name it The Rose, we did so partly because we wanted the name to be attractive and inviting to women, partly because of family ties for both Dixie and me, but mostly because of Rose Kushner. So I wrote to her knowing she’d be overjoyed with our news. Her response, typical of Rose, was candid, “What the hell do I need some living tribute for?”
I was crushed. Was there nothing I could do to please this lady? Years later, Harvey told us she never missed an opportunity to include in her public talks that there was a mammogram center in Houston named after her.
Sadly, Rose Kushner, our inspiration to dream beyond our limitations, never saw The Rose. She died from a reoccurrence in 1990.
Postscript … My wish is that everyone who has a dream also has a “Rose” in their life. Someone who cares enough to push when needed and persists beyond the pushing.
Or maybe we should become a “Rose” in someone’s life. Who knows? We may just nourish someone else’s dream right into reality.
This memory is one of 25 short stories written by Dorothy Gibbons, the Co-founder and CEO of The Rose, a nonprofit breast cancer organization. She and Dr. Dixie Melillo received the 501C3 documents for The Rose in 1986. A memory will be shared daily, culminating with number 25 on the day The Rose celebrates its 25th anniversary November 10.
© 2011 Dorothy Gibbons. All rights reserved.
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