My Memme was 51 when a routine mammogram revealed an issue. Her mother had died from breast cancer at 49, so the fear was always there, but hearing the words from her doctor was still devastating. The mammogram showed no lump, but the early signs of multifocal invasive cancer was caught.

Her first step was her decision to have a mastectomy instead of a lumpectomy. She told me it wasn’t an easy choice, but an emotional one. She saw how quickly her mother’s cancer progressed and wanted to take the most aggressive step to protect herself. The surgery was the first of many steps my grandma faced.

Chemo came next—six months of CEF, which caused total hair loss. She wore a wig but never felt like herself. Radiation followed shortly after, 25 sessions in total. It wasn’t required, but she opted for it because it felt like the right thing to do. She described the hardest part of treatment being staying strong for her family and putting on a brave face when she felt anything but brave.

What’s always stuck with me is how she fought for herself. When Tamoxifen, a medication she took to lower the risk of recurrence, caused spotting, she knew something wasn’t right. She advocated for herself, called in for an appointment and was then diagnosed with uterine cancer, a direct result of the drug. This led her to another round of surgeries, including a hysterectomy and more radiation, with even some internal rounds leaving her feeling degraded and exposed. She told me that part of her journey scared her the most, she said, “I really thought I wasn’t going to make it,” But my grandmother is a strong woman, she kept moving forward, trusting her doctors and holding on to hope.

It wasn’t until years later when she finally had breast reconstruction surgery in 2014. She was frustrated that it took so long (almost 12 years) because no one had offered it to her earlier. She had to ask after learning that friends were doing so. That surgery wasn’t easy for her either. An allergic reaction to one of the many administered drugs led to days of testing to figure out which one she was allergic to. But by 2015, she was finally able to have the silicone implant she had waited so long for.

Through all of this, she leaned heavily on her family. My grandpa, who she described as her rock, drove her to every appointment, stayed with her during treatments, and kept her spirits up. Her business managers and coworkers were very supportive over the years. A couple of Breast cancer survivor coworkers started meeting after work at local restaurants regularly.The members grew into an informal “Bosom Buddy” support group that has continued for over 12 years. In addition, she explained the importance of how socializing with women who have gone through the same things is vital because they all understand what you went through more than anyone else will. 

My grandma always says the most important thing she learned was the power of self-advocacy. She didn’t wait for others to guide her, she asked questions, pushed for better options, and stayed informed. Her advice to others is: “Don’t ignore your body. Speak up, ask questions, and get those checkups.”

Now, as a 22-year survivor, she focuses on her health and lives every day to the fullest. She takes daily walks, eats well, and surrounds herself with love and positivity. Her message she would like to share to people suffering right now is “If I can get through this, so can you. Never give up and never stop fighting for yourself.” She also was adamant that I said don’t listen to everything you see on the internet, it will scare you to death! Everyone’s story is different and put your faith in the doctors and what they are telling you.

Additional responses

What did you need the most from people in these moments?

- Support

- People around you that cared about you

- She then described a heartwarming story about how happy she was when a

volunteer showed up on her door with essentially a “welcome kit”. They gave her

information on where to buy wigs, attend support meetings with other survivors and

information on programs to attend. She was overwhelmed with how amazing that

made her feel and said that it made her day. She attended one of the programs

called “Look good, Feel better” in which she also spoke very highly about. They gave

her makeup and taught everyone how to draw in eyebrows from the hair loss due to

chemo etc.

Note:
Following her journey, both of her sisters then also had breast cancer, and she had

genetic testing done which identified as positive for the ATM gene mutation.

Additional note: I have compiled this story to the best of my knowledge. In no way am I qualified as a medical professional. Although I spent hours researching all material some information could contain errors. If you identify false information please submit a feedback claim on the home page!