It’s hard not to do a double-take when spotting someone dressed as legendary comedian Lucille Ball, pop icon Madonna, or Princess Leia from “Star Wars” roaming the halls of University Cancer & Blood Center in Athens. And it’s not even Halloween.
Karen Strelecki of Madison
According to 72-year-old Karen Strelecki of Madison, any day is a good day to play dress-up, especially when the end goal is to brighten the cancer journey of herself and others.
For the better part of a year, that was her mission each time she visited University Cancer & Blood Center for treatment. Before leaving her house, Strelecki dug deep into a costume closet packed with colorful wigs, hats, an array of outfits, and themed footwear. She then emerged in character, ready to bring a little happiness to an often daunting patient experience.
Her walk through cancer, however, didn’t start that way. “I was incredulous and terrified,” Strelecki says, referring to her initial reaction to the cancer diagnosis.
An Unexpected Diagnosis
After abnormal mammogram results in March 2024 and a subsequent biopsy, Strelecki’s primary care physician examined the pathology report and shared the bad news with her. He then referred her to Dr. Cody Gunn at University Cancer and Blood Center.
According to Strelecki, Dr. Gunn’s kindness, concern, and compassion helped put her at ease, allowing her the courage to face the additional tests, examinations, and ultrasounds needed to receive a complete diagnosis and plan of action.
The assessment revealed she had ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a non-invasive, early-stage breast cancer where cancer cells are typically confined to the milk ducts. Surgery took place, and in May she was given the definitive diagnosis that the DCIS had changed, because the cancer had escaped the milk duct and a lumpectomy became necessary. Lymph node surgery followed to make sure the cancer hadn’t spread to her lymphatic system.
Although everything went well and showed the cancer hadn’t spread, Dr. Gunn and his colleague, Dr. Cynthia Shepherd, recommended treatment to protect the rest of Strelecki’s body from any possible roaming cancer cells. This would include a schedule of chemotherapy and radiation with the eventual addition of immunotherapy. Once the chemotherapy and radiation wrapped, she would continue monthly immunotherapy treatments. The entire process would begin in July 2024 and wrap at the end of June 2025.
“At the time, I thought the end of treatment would never come,” Strelecki recalls, “and I was pretty nervous about it all.”
Inspiration Strikes
Strelecki faced the uncertainty of treatment with the steadfast support of her husband, Greg, a professional photographer. In the mornings before they would head off to UCBC for Strelecki’s treatment, her husband would take a photo of her to document the experience.
She had no intention for the photos to be anything other than a visual log. Then, she says, it dawned on her that it could be something more.
“It led me to come up with a list of strong women I admire and costumes to wear to represent them,” Strelecki says. “It was a great way to take my mind off of feeling crummy, and it gave me something to look forward to.”
Strelecki admits she quickly became obsessed with the project, which evolved into more elaborate studio photo shoots. Greg would even add Photoshop computer effects to the finished products. For example, he superimposed an image of Strelecki’s Princess Leia aboard a starship right next to the iconic robot R2-D2.
In addition to the aforementioned costumes, Strelecki drew from inspiring female historical figures, including Ruth Bader Ginsburg, suffragists, and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Additionally, she threw other female fictional characters into the mix, from Tinkerbell to the World War II-era Rosie the Riveter. During the holiday season, she wore the trademark pink bunny suit from the film “A Christmas Story.” When Valentine’s Day neared, she dressed as a box of Valentines.
Karen Strelecki dressed as Ruth Bader Ginsburg
If she didn’t have a certain costume in her closet, Strelecki would scour eBay, thrift stores, and a friend’s costume collection for the right ensembles and accessories. Once a character was complete, she would dress up and pose for Greg’s photographs and then wear each respective costume to UCBC on a specific treatment day.
The bigger challenge, however, was the treatment itself. “Let’s be honest, chemo is not fun, and that’s just a fact,” she says. “But I was luckier than some and tolerated it pretty well. However, I sure didn’t feel like going to the gym, nothing tasted good, and some days I felt like I’d been hit by a truck. But most of the time I was just exhausted.”
Finding Joy During Treatment
Karen as Rosie the Riveter
Despite the tiredness and tears, she credits the project for getting her through some difficult days. For instance, when Strelecki dressed as the masked cowboy the Lone Ranger for her at-home photo shoot, she says she and her husband couldn’t stop laughing as he tried to balance her on the back of a lounge chair to make it look as if she were riding a horse.
Yet she wasn’t the only one who benefited from her costuming. Strelecki would arrive at UCBC all decked out, surprising the staff and fellow patients among the treatment pods on the second floor where the infusions take place. On many occasions, her character-of-the-day made the rounds in the chemo room sharing treats with everyone. Smiles inevitably followed.
“I know how good it feels to laugh and have somebody understand what I’m going through,” she explains. “And I wanted to share that good feeling with the patients and staff as well. I hope I brightened their day, because their reactions brightened mine and giving joy to them brings it to me. I’ve been very excited at the happy response from the other patients and staff.”
As for her own treatment experience, Strelecki says she can’t say enough good things about the providers, staff, and volunteers at UCBC. “They are so kind, caring, well-trained, thorough, and encouraging,” she says. “I definitely felt I was entrusting my health to a great team who were always friendly, smiling, and holding my hand and heart while working together to solve my problem. They are very good at what they do!”
A Hopeful Prognosis
At the end of her cancer treatment, Strelecki says she’s grateful for the prognosis she received from Dr. Gunn. Her cancer, he explained, has less than a 2% chance of returning.
For her costume curtain call, Strelecki is pondering a grand finale. She says she and her husband would like to donate their images in some form to help encourage new cancer patients to find their own creative path through the overwhelming maze of cancer.
“If I can lift up others,” she says, “that would be a great end product for me.”
