Her Spotlight: Mandy Messerli

SURVIVOR SPOTLIGHT MANDY MESSERLI

How old were you when you found out you had breast cancer? 36 years-old

How did you find your cancer? I hadn’t been feeling the greatest and was doing a self-breast exam. I found a lump but didn’t think much of it and informed my OBGYN when I went in for my annual exam. They also noticed the lump and scheduled me to have a mammogram and a biopsy a couple weeks later. I knew immediately after having my mammogram that I had cancer. There was something about the way the technician said you should see a doctor for a second opinion that gave it away. What stage and type of breast cancer did you have? I was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer, which is the most aggressive type of breast cancer, and was considered stage 2. What treatments did you have and how long did that take? In May 2017, I started chemotherapy. I had four

rounds of what they call the Red Devil, Adriamycin, chemotherapy administered every two weeks. I had to skip one week because my blood count was too low. I then had 12 sessions of Taxol which were administered every week. Next on my to do list was 33 sessions of radiation; 28 of those sessions were normal and five of those sessions were with a booster. Radiation was tough on my skin, and I did have some burning. The next course of treatment was to have a double mastectomy which I advocated for since there was a history of breast cancer in my family. About a year later, in December 2018, I had my expanders put in and went through the painful process of expanding my skin. In April 2019, I had reconstructive surgery where my implants were placed. How long have you been cancer free? It depends on which date you use. Some people use the date of diagnosis, and some people use their surgery date! I use my surgery date so this October will be five years and a special one since I can say I am now in remission.

How has cancer changed your life? Cancer has made me a better advocate for myself, my body and my family. It allowed me to look deep into my life and I have unapologetically made significant changes. I’m grateful to be here and want people with that same energy to share life with me. What advice would you give to others who may be dealing with their own cancer journey? Know that

everyone who fights cancer will have a different story than you. If they responded to a medication a certain way, it doesn’t mean you will respond the same way. And that is okay because everyone is different. It’s totally okay to ask for help and to say no to things. You need time to rest and for recovery. Some people might say it is selfish, but honestly it is survival and that is what is most important! Did you have any books, quotes, or routines that helped you through your cancer journey? For me keeping

up with a constant routine with work was important. I would work Monday – Thursday and Fridays would be “Chemo Friday!'' This allowed me to stay on a schedule and a routine that was consistent, but it also allowed me to have the weekend to rest and recover before going back to work. I also used my treatment plan like a checklist. I’m a checklist kind of person and that helped me to be able to reach a goal one treatment at a time. I didn’t feel like doing a lot of reading during treatment, but I found a lot of great motivation in music. Some of my favorite songs were, and still are, Overcomer by Mandisa, Old Church Choir by Zack Williams and Fight Song by Rachel Platten.

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