Albert Lean Amy Wasson is a woman of courage.

After undergoing a double mastectomy, a hysterectomy, chemotherapy and radiation to treat her breast cancer last year, Wasson has risen higher than ever before — even higher than before the news of cancer came into her life.

She is standing as an example of hope as this year’s Freeborn County Relay for Life honorary co-chairwoman, along with co-chairman Chris Utz.

Her story started out like many others when early in 2006 she noticed a lump on her right breast.

She waited a short time to see if it went away, then had it checked out. An ultrasound and mammogram confirmed that there was indeed a lump, but no one seemed to think it was anything to worry about at the time.

As time wore, on, however, she noticed it wasn’t going away and was actually getting larger.

On Dec. 21, 2006, she had her family doctor take a look. He immediately sent her to a surgeon to check it out. He performed a biopsy that day and then called her the day after Christmas to tell her she had cancer.

She went through a monthlong whirlwind of doctor’s appointments and second opinions, and then on Jan. 31, 2007, she had surgery at Abbott Northwestern Hospital to remove the mass.

Wasson said the doctor who performed the mastectomy told her he felt like he had gotten all of the cancer with the surgery, but she decided to move forward with chemo and radiation as “insurance policies.”

She was in chemo for four months and radiation for five weeks in Albert Lea.

And she went through it all without wearing any wigs or hats.

“I was surprised I was comfortable with that,” Wasson said.

Then, on the day of last year’s Freeborn County Relay for Life, she had her final treatment.

Up to that day, she had never been involved with the relay, but that time she decided to go with her sister. It was an amazing experience, she said.

This year — after a year of being in the clear — she is taking a bigger role in the relay by being a co-chairwoman.

“There are so many people in this town who have cancer or had cancer — to be picked out of all of those people, it was quite an honor,” Wasson said.

Her message to the public is threefold, she said.

She wants people to know there are three things that really got her through her experience: prayer, support of family and friends, and a positive attitude.

“I didn’t ask, ‘Why me?’” she said. “I just feel like I put my head down and got to work getting through it and getting healed.”

Prayer was key, she said, because “God really helped us through it.”

Her doctor who performed the mastectomy said it was a miracle the cancer had not spread to any other part of her body.

By setting up a CaringBridge Web site, which supports and connects loved ones during critical illness, she was able to keep people informed of her progress and they in turn were able to give their support to her.

Her husband, Jeff Miller, helped her keep a sense of humor through it all, by helping her come up with funny memories such as the top 10 reasons for having a double mastectomy and the top 10 reasons for being bald.

Right now she is filling in for the secretary of the Albert Lea city attorney who is out on maternity leave. She hopes to soon find an attorney position in town.

She is married to Jeff Miller and has two step-children, Sophie and Max.