Kathie Pecinka of Long Island beats breast cancer, realizes baseball dream at New York Mets Fantasy Camp
NEW YORK -- A breast cancer survivor from Long Island hit one out of the park as the only woman in national baseball tournaments.
Kathie Pecinka, a baseball enthusiast and nurse educator, said her breast cancer diagnosis five years ago came totally out of left field.
"Devastated, totally blindsided. I had no family history, I take good care of myself," said Pecinka.
Pecinka, 60, immediately chose to undergo a double mastectomy. It was a success thanks to her incredible medical team, she said.
Pecinka and Dr. Mark Smith, her reconstructive surgeon, bonded over their love for baseball. Smith played in college before he switched gears and started saving lives.
Smith, a reconstructive plastic surgeon at Northwell Health, performed the latest microsurgical breast surgery on Pecinka.
"With the older techniques she probably wouldn't even be able to do a sit up, let alone get out on the ball field and do everything that she's doing right now," said Smith. "We're not only able to restore their health, but their sense of well-being and feeling whole again."
"She kind of came out as a new person. She wanted to do more things," said Pecinka's husband Ed Pecinka.
Pecinka's successful surgery and recovery gave her confidence to pursue a dream of training and playing with the pros at New York Mets fantasy camp.
Pecinka started training with former Mets pitcher Nelson Figueroa.
"When you're dealt a blow like that, life could be going just perfect and all of the sudden something like cancer comes into your family and it's how you deal with that," said Figueroa.
Pecinka said she's gotten good enough to play in Mets fantasy camp tournaments.
"And I was the only woman that played there. So it was a big accomplishment for me to get there and to be able to play. I made a couple of really good hits," said Pecinka.
Pecinka took a couple big hits, too. She took a fly ball to her forehead and a pitch to her elbow.
Pecinka faced many obstacles along the way, including battling endometrial cancer one year later, which she also beat.
"Turning 60, proving to women that you can take a scary diagnosis, get another diagnosis a year later, and come through better than you were before," said Pecinka.
With the right team and determination, Pecinka said even life's toughest battles can be conquered.
