Breast Cancer Awareness: More Than Pink Ribbons - Every story is unique, Every journey matters.

Since there was a history of breast cancer in my family, over many, many years I have always ensured that I went for an annual mammogram.

In March of 2020, I went for my annual mammogram after which my primary
care physician’s office caled and said that more testing was needed. I hadn’t rushed to get the folowup testing completed because I was sure, like several years before, that it was a false alarm. Because I delayed going for the additional testing, my Primary Care Physician soon caled me to express his concern and urged me to get the testing completed as soon as possible because the mammogram showed a suspicious mass in my left breast.

I went for a biopsy which was performed by a doctor who was a Specialist in Surgical Breast Oncology . The biopsy determined that the 1.8 cm mass was a triple negative Stage 1 breast cancer. I don’t recal being overly concerned about the diagnosis as the doctor was very optimistic that with surgery to remove the mass and treatments to prevent the mass from returning, my chances of becoming cancer free was extremely high. During this time, the country was in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic and only emergency appointments and surgeries were being approved by medical clinics and hospitals. About a month after my diagnosis, at age 66, I had surgery to remove the cancerous mass, remove two lymph nodes for testing, and to have a port inserted into my chest in order to receive chemotherapy treatments.

The weeks and months that folowed were filed with numerous doctor visits, weekly lab tests, treatments, and even a return to the operating room for surgery to remove a defective port and instal another one. There were moments of concern about how I would handle the sheer number of chemotherapy treatments (16 scheduled, 14 completed) and radiation treatments (21 scheduled, al completed). Since I’m generaly a very calm person, I was hopeful and extremely confident that through it al, I would come out victorious in the end. Throughout my journey, I kept a journal writing about what my activities were like, how I was feeling and I noted affirmations to read in order to confirm my faith. My faith was the anchor that sustained me through my journey and my family, friends and church family became my support team.

Now, five years later, I am cancer-free. I’m not just a survivor, I’m a witness that faith, courage, and early detection can save a life. Although I am stil dealing with the after effects of the chemotherapy drug which resulted in lasting nerve damage to my fingertips and feet, I know that I am victorious. I have not alowed the cancer diagnosis, treatments or the after effects keep me from continuing to live a life ful of faith, love and stewardship. I am thankful to God for continuing to bless me and sustain me.