Leaning on Faith to Find a Purpose

Brenda Akstulewicz of Gaithersburg, Maryland, always scheduled an annual mammogram with her friend. In 2020, she delayed her mammogram twice for fear of exposing her elderly father to COVID-19. She kept her third rescheduled appointment in September 2020, and a few days after her mammogram, she received a phone call asking her to return to the office.

AN ultrasound and biopsy confirmed what the radiologist saw was cancer. Brenda was referred to Surupa Sen Gupta, MD, a breast surgeon at Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center and Shady Grove Adventist Aquilino Cancer Center. Dr. Sen Gupta diagnosed Brenda with stage 2 breast cancer and reassured Brenda this was the best type of cancer to have.

“In stage 2 breast cancer, cells that are cancerous have not spread beyond the breast or lymph nodes, allowing treatment to be more effective,” Dr. Sen Gupta said.

As part of her treatment, Brenda would need surgery and chose to have a double mastectomy. In November, Dr. Sen Gupta successfully performed the procedure.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Brenda’s husband was not able to accompany her, but she noted the many angels surrounding her as she waited for her surgery.

“The nurses and technicians came in to chat with me as I waited, and I prayed to God knowing that He will guide the hands of my surgeons and the eyes and the hearts of the people working on me,” Brenda said. “I prayed Psalm 23 – ‘The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want’ – and by the time Dr. Sen Gupta walked in, I had found great peace.”

A few weeks after surgery, Brenda met with Shannon O’Connor, MD, a medical oncologist with Maryland Oncology Hematology at the Aquilino Cancer Center. Dr. O’Connor recommended a MammaPrint, a genomic test that analyzes a piece of the tumor to determine the likelihood of early-stage breast cancer recurring throughout the body. It also helps determine if further treatment like chemotherapy is needed. Brenda’s results showed a probability of high recurrence and favored chemotherapy.

JOURNEYING WITH FAITH

Brenda says the love and support she had through treatment reminds her how blessed she is. Her husband tended to Brenda, his part-time business and her elderly father as she had treatment. The day before her first chemo treatment, Brenda’s daughter organized a drive-by