"Bronson saved my life. I am still here today and I hope to be here for many more years."
I have been a patient of Bronson for about six years. My primary care provider is here and I have been an obstetrics patient as well. In February 2023, I was three months post-partum with my second son. One day while breastfeeding him, I felt a lump in my breast. Though I assumed it was just a clogged milk duct – as that is something I had experienced with my first son – I decided to contact my OB. Thinking it was mastitis or something similar, she put me on antibiotics. However, after two weeks, nothing had changed and I was now also having trouble breastfeeding. I had noticed some redness and an “orange peel” look on my breast. Right away, my OB ordered an ultrasound, thinking it could be an abscess.
When I went to the Bronson Breast Health Center for the ultrasound, results came back showing no irregularities. While I was there the radiologist popped her head into my room and mentioned that I had missed my 6-month mammogram just three months prior, so we decided to do that as well, since I was already at the office. During the mammogram, I noticed the tech taking extra pictures, but I didn’t think too much about it. However, the second that the radiologist walked into my room, my stomach sank. I have a background in radiology, so I know the doctor isn’t going to come into the room unless something is wrong. She explained to me that there were significant changes in the calcifications they had been tracking, and that she was almost certain that I had breast cancer. That moment changed my life forever.
Dr. Wang at the Bronson Breast Health Center expedited a biopsy for the next day, and four days later the results came back positive for breast cancer. Right away, I met with Dr. Mika Reschke, a surgical oncologist at Bronson Breast Surgery Specialists. We talked about my diagnosis and set up a treatment plan.
Next, I met Dr. Sunil Nagpal, a medical oncologist at the Bronson Cancer Center. He ordered several additional tests, including a CT scan and a bone scan. When the CT scan came back, it showed two liver lesions. Dr. Nagpal ordered additional images and an MRI and scheduled a liver biopsy. The results came back showing that the cancer had metastasized to the liver. With this news, the wind was completely taken out of my sails. What two weeks ago I thought was an early-detected cancer case was now, right off the bat, stage 4 cancer.
I decided to go to a university hospital for a second opinion – and what I heard was not good. The breast surgeon sat down with me and the first words out of his mouth were, “I don’t know why you’re here. We don’t operate on stage 4 patients.” This was completely different from what Dr. Reschke had told me. Then, I met with the medical oncologist. And when he found out I was in stage 4, he told me to “get my affairs in order.” He put a time stamp on me of “five years left to live” and he only offered a less aggressive treatment plan than what Dr. Nagpal had given me. With a newborn, four-year-old and wife at home, that sent me into a whirlwind. The next day, I came back to Bronson to talk to Dr. Nagpal. I told him, “Screw them” (the other hospital), and that we were going with his plan to start chemotherapy right away.
Drs. Nagpal and Reschke gave me hope. Their first words to me were so different from the other hospital providers I spoke to. They told me, “You can do this” and “You’re not a statistic.” They assured me that they would get treatment going right away and that I would have many more years with my boys and wife. That is absolutely why I am still a patient here at Bronson – and why I choose Bronson over any hospital.
During chemo at the Bronson Cancer Center, I met some amazing nurses and staff… everyone from the schedulers to front desk staff to the infusion nurses. I have grown very close with my infusion nurses, especially Amanda. I continue to get infusions on a routine basis and will likely do so for the rest of my life. When I am at Bronson for treatment, I kind of forget that I have cancer. Sometimes I even joke that infusion day is my spa day where I don’t have to work, get to be by myself and watch some TV!
Receiving a cancer diagnosis has been a life changing, but at Bronson I have a whole army behind me. In addition to Dr. Reschke, Dr. Nagpal, and nurses like Amanda, the nurse navigators are great. I have worked a lot with Kristin and now Jennifer. They are always so helpful in making sure I get what I need – whether that be transferring images, expediting lab results, etc. I have also worked with the financial navigators and social workers. They are incredibly helpful in finding resources that are available to cancer patients like me. Also, because my case is so rare, a lot of people around Bronson know me. I appreciate how I am greeted so often by name when I go to the lab or the radiology office.
As of today I am doing great. I have gone through chemotherapy, immunotherapy, a double mastectomy and had radiation to my liver, chest and axilla - but I did it. Though there is no actual cure for stage 4 cancer, I am officially showing no evidence of active disease and am confident that I have many years ahead of me. My plan of care moving forward is to come back for my ongoing infusion treatments while going on with my life.
Bronson has been amazing along this journey. They have constantly expedited services because of my diagnosis. Dr. Reschke, Dr. Nagpal and Dr. Fakheddine (West Michigan Cancer Center) meet on a regular basis to discuss my case and make sure I am getting the care I need. I have been given so much hope from the care team. There are so many people I could thank here at Bronson – but really, Bronson saved my life. I am still here today, and I hope to be here for many more years.
If I can give any advice to people who have been diagnosed with cancer it is:
- Always advocate for yourself! I knew in the beginning of my story that something was not right and that I needed to find the answers.
- Reach out to Bronson’s support services. Whether this is for financial support, support from the nurse navigators in keeping your care moving along or even if you are experiencing issues with side effects. Bronson has so much experience in treating cancer and it seems like they have a magic trick for everything if you just ask!
- When you’re in a difficult treatment such as chemo or radiation, be kind to yourself and give yourself grace. You are in survival mode, and this too shall pass.
- Ask for help, even if that is hard for you to do. People want to help and giving them specific ways to help can greatly decrease your stress. Have them prepare you meals, drive you to appointments, sit with you at infusions, or even buy you something to comfort you throughout your treatments.
And most importantly, if you can learn anything from me, don’t skip your mammogram!
Meet Danielle's Medical Oncologist
Dr. Nagpal is a medical oncologist at Bronson. He specializes in the treatment of breast cancer, lung cancer, blood disorders and multiple myeloma. Learn more about Dr. Nagpal and his approach to treating cancer.
