Her Spotlight: Jamie Williams

SPOTLIGHT

JAMIE WILLIAMS

How old were you when you found out you had breast cancer? I was 33 years-old with an almost three year-old

son. It was May and we had just returned from a family vacation at Holden Beach. How did you find your cancer? I wish I could say that I was doing routine self-breast exams, but I wasn’t. I just happened to feel something on the side of my breast when changing one afternoon. I made an appointment with my OBGYN who sent me for a mammogram and ultrasound that was followed by a biopsy. I remember everything about that day, even what I was wearing. It was a Thursday morning; the PA was inches from my face when she shared the news with me and my husband. My immediate thought was whether I would be alive to see my son grow up. What stage and type of breast cancer did you have? I was diagnosed with Stage 3 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma that was HER2 and estrogen positive. I had a 6 cm tumor (about the size of a golf ball) in my breast and positive lymph node involvement.

What treatments did you have and how long did that take? I completed six rounds of chemotherapy, followed by

a lumpectomy, then radiation; this first line of treatment took seven months. Since I was in my thirties and was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer, I wanted to take the most aggressive approach possible with my treatment. So, once I completed my initial treatment, I underwent a hysterectomy and after my body healed from radiation, a double mastectomy. Because I had hormone positive breast cancer, I will take an aromatase inhibitor for a total of ten years to reduce my chances of a reoccurrence.

How long have you been cancer free? I celebrated ten years this past May. How has cancer changed your life? Cancer is just one part of my story but since my diagnosis, it has shaped every other part of it. When I was in the middle of treatment, life was tough. Now, there are some days I forget I even had cancer only to have others where the anxiety of a reoccurrence can be overwhelming. My body is a constant reminder of my diagnosis, I will forever carry the scars from surgery, and I experience long-term side effects from treatment. My diagnosis changed my outlook on life. I cherish the small moments not just the big ones, I try not to rush through life, taking time to be with those that matter most and doing things that I enjoy, and being grateful for the life I have. What advice would you give to others who may be dealing with their own cancer journey? Everyone’s

journey is different, what is helpful to one person may not be for another, but I would encourage others to ask for and accept help, find your people and build a support network, rest when needed and set boundaries to maintain your mental and physical health, be kind to yourself, and be your own healthcare advocate. Did you have any books, quotes, or routines that helped you through your cancer journey? One quote that

resonated with me during my journey and still does today, is from Elizabeth Edwards, “She stood in the storm, and when the wind did not blow her way, she adjusted her sails.”

10 Her Magazine — October 2022