“Ask for support if you need it; Bronson has a lot of support systems in place for cancer patients!” 

One day in 2000, at the age of 48, I felt a lump on my breast that didn’t feel right. At the time I was working as a nursing assistant in a nursing home and I asked another nurse who worked with me to feel it too. She said I should make a doctor’s appointment as soon as possible, so I did. I had a biopsy and soon after I was told it was breast cancer. I was devastated and overwhelmed. I have four children and at the time, three were under the age of 18, and I didn’t know how I would take care of them during the process of getting the cancer removed and going through treatment.

My cancer journey began right away. All of my appointments were at the Battle Creek Hospital. To remove the cancer, I had to have a mastectomy. Then I had ten months of chemotherapy and two months of radiation therapy. During all of this, the doctors realized I had cancer in my lymph nodes, too. Because of that, my right arm was extremely swollen and I had to go to lymphedema rehab. I had to wear a compression sleeve every day for a very long time. I also had to take a “cancer pill” called Tamoxifen for five years.

My cancer journey was hard. I went through bouts of depression and at the time, there weren’t any support groups for me to join or anything that could really help. I lost all of my hair right away. I could barely work because I was so sick and it was hard to provide for my family.

I persevered through it all though because I knew I had to be strong for my family. My mom was a huge support during my cancer journey and I am thankful to her and my children for encouraging me to do what I had to do to get better. All of my doctors and nurses were very nice, too, and they uplifted my spirits each time I had to go in.

I want others to know they can get through their cancer journey, too. It’s hard, and sometimes difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but it's there! Ask for support if you need it; Bronson has a lot of support systems in place for cancer patients!