Breast cancer survivor shares message of hope and vigilance

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – Jodi Sturgeon says what happened when she went for a mammogram in August 2020 was a “kick in the stomach.”

Usually vigilant about her exams, she had postponed her annual mammograms.

“I had missed a few years of mammograms but had continued to do my self-checks, so I was positive enough in my own head that I had no issues,” she said.

Instead, they immediately sent her for an ultrasound, then said they would need a biopsy. Jodi was 47 years old and had breast cancer.

“It’s like the world has stopped for a minute,” Jodi said. “I immediately thought of my father. I knew it would break his heart because he was still afraid of cancer himself.

She also thought of her mother, who battled breast cancer in her late fifties.

“Knowing that mum got away with it and knowing how alike my mom and I really are, it was like, ‘Yes I can do that. It’ll be okay. It’s gonna suck, but it’ll be okay,’ said Jodi.

Jodi knew that her mother’s diagnosis increased her own risk of breast cancer. The American Cancer Society says the average woman has a one in eight chance of developing breast cancer in her lifetime. For women with a first-degree relative who had breast cancer (mother, sister or daughter), the risk is doubled.

Whatever the family history, regular screening is essential to detect cancers at an early stage.

“Finding out (breast cancer) in its early stages almost always leads to better outcomes, better survival, a better time for people to stay disease free,” said Dr Brandon Weckbaugh, oncologist at Stormont. Vail Cancer Center.

He said many women have delayed their mammograms due to concerns about COVID exposure in a healthcare setting. As a result, doctors nationwide are finding they are diagnosing more advanced cancers. He said anyone who postpones their mammogram should feel confident to schedule one safely.

Read the American Cancer Society’s guidelines for screening and early detection of breast cancer

Dr Weckbaugh says breast cancer treatment has evolved rapidly over the past two decades, with researchers learning how proteins, hormones, and location create various cancer subgroups.

“We are still making progress,” he said. “If someone were diagnosed with breast cancer in the 1960s, they would probably have a radical mastectomy, a very big surgery. What we’ve learned over time is that sometimes small surgeries can have equally good results, and when it comes to the types of drugs we use for breast cancer, these change with the times. time to the point that even women suffering from very advanced breast cancer can even be treated with pills.

Jodi underwent a double mastectomy and radiation therapy. She says she has found the support of her family and friends, and her Facebook page – Jodi’s journey – where this Hulk fan detailed her desire to crush cancer.

“People have appeared out of nowhere to help support us,” she said.

She wants people who hear her story to remember two things: first, get your mammogram; and second, if you are diagnosed, there is hope.

“Your life is like a book, and your breast cancer journey is just one chapter in that book,” she said, recalling advice from another breast cancer survivor. “It doesn’t have to define your life or ruin your life or rule your life. You can get away with it and you can move on. “

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. People are invited to join the fight at The American Cancer Society’s Progress Against Breast Cancer events. The Topeka Walk takes place on Saturday October 23 at Evergy Plaza on S. Kansas Avenue. Registration and activities open at 8:30 am, with a five-kilometer walk starting at 9:30 am Find more information, register and donate on their event page.

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