Breast cancer affects patient, but also entire family

Breast cancer not only affects the patient, but the entire family. One Bellevue couple's lives were changed in ways they never expected.

You could say it was a match made in heaven. Sue and Keith Black have been married 43 years. The Bellevue High School sweethearts know what it means to cherish each moment with their children, grandchildren and each other. That's because eight years ago breast cancer almost took Sue's life

"That was really tough to get that, but I was so thankful to the Lord's mercy for me, the beginning of all that mercy in this journey," she said.

"Sue has always been such an incredible warrior, a woman of wonderful deep faith, but when the news came, that was tough and hard," said Keith Black. "You think about what if you lose your wife."

Sue's background as a nurse helped her find the best doctors, including Dr. Mark Yuhasz, Sue's radiologist and close friend

"She is a warrior," said Yuhasz. "A lot of people deny the diagnosis and have a lot of trouble, and she was accepting of it and just confronted it. She saw it as something she was going to overcome and deal with. It was an interesting thing to watch."

Sue had a double mastectomy and considers herself part of "The Grateful Club."

"What a joy to be alive, the Lord is so good," she said. "I feel like I get to be the voice for women who don't get to speak, who have lost their lives."

Today, Sue and Keith are channeling their energies as unofficial ambassadors for the Susan B. Komen for the Cure . Like their marriage, it's a lifetime commitment.

The annual Puget Sound Susan B. Komen Race for the Cure kicks off this Sunday at Qwest Field. There's still time to register for the events, ranging from a kids walk, 5K walks and runs and a wheel chair race.