CORNER BROOK — Linda Miller and Linda Pynn have a lot more in common than their first names.
They are both 63, both work at Alteen's Jewellers and both have had breast cancer.
Pynn has worked at Alteen's for 17 years. She turned 60 in March 2009, and that September was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Miller said her friend and co-worker had found a lump in one of her breasts, and despite the possibility of cancer she had tried to encourage her that everything would be OK.
Pynn had surgery to remove her breast shortly after her diagnosis and in December 2009 started chemotherapy.
Throughout it all Miller was there to offer support.
Pynn laughs when she tells how Miller was the one to shave her head as she underwent the chemo.
"She came up one day at lunchtime and just buzzed my hair off," she said adding a little more thoughtfully, "she offered me a lot of support."
Pynn returned to work in February 2010.
Within only a few weeks Miller, who had turned 60 in June 2009, would find out she too had cancer.
"And then it was my turn," she said.
"A mammogram detected something was wrong."
That was followed with more tests including, an ultrasound and a biopsy.
"And then they found out that I had the same kind of cancer that she had," Miller said.
Miller also had her breast removed and underwent chemotherapy.
And there to support her was Pynn.
Pynn said hearing the diagnosis is scary at first, but it wasn't something that she let affect her all the time.
Miller thinks seeing and helping her friend go through the diagnosis and treatment actually helped her.
"So to me it wasn't that bad because I knew what she had gone through and she had gone through pretty good," she said.
She recalls how when she was told of her diagnosis her first thought was 'OK do what you've got to do and let me get on with my life.'
Miller said really there was no other way to look at it. She said you don't get cancer because of something you did, and there was nothing you could do to stop it.
Both women said they had a positive experience with their surgeries and the only side-effect from the chemo was feeling tired.
"The worst part of it was having to stay home," said Pynn, who underwent treatment around the same time as the H1N1 virus was making a lot of people sick.
Miller agreed and added that she spent a lot of time at the store during her treatment.
"Just to get out of the house."
Her first visit was only a couple of days after her surgery.
The two women say they were close before their experiences with cancer, but consider themselves a lot closer now.
They go to the gym together about three to four times a week, and "the two Lindas" have also attended breast cancer retreats together.
Miller said it's good that they can share experiences and information.
They've also gotten closer to the rest of the staff at the store, all who have been "fantastic" in helping them get through their illnesses.
As a show of support this week the staff has decorated the Broadway store in honour of Paint Canada Pink Week. The week, which ends on June 30, is aimed at creating awareness about breast cancer and the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure.
The annual run will take place on Sept. 30 and Pynn and Miller will be among the participants.
