Communication Key in Detecting Breast Cancer: A Survivor’s Story

One in eight women will develop breast cancer throughout her lifetime, according to the American Cancer Society. That means 13% of women in the United States are or will be affected by breast cancer. Diagnosed in 2017, Watco’s Nancy Huser now identifies with this sobering statistic. As we begin Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we’re honoring her and countless others who have battled or are currently undergoing treatment for this disease. Keep reading to learn more about Huser’s story.

Communication with your doctor is the most important key to detecting breast cancer.

That’s the best advice Watco Treasury Coordinator Nancy Huser said she has to offer as a breast cancer survivor.

“I always thought that mammograms were the answer to detecting breast cancer, that if there were something there, it would catch it,” said Huser. “The moral of my story is don’t assume it will catch it.”

In 2017, a couple of months before an annual scheduled mammogram, Huser had felt a lump in her breast and figured she would find out if something was wrong when the testing was completed.

“I just figured if it were something to be concerned about, the mammogram would show it,” said Huser.

Sure enough, she got a call asking her to return to the hospital for a diagnostic ultrasound that more accurately shows the difference between fluid-filled cysts and solid masses. Surprisingly though, when the technician reviewed the area of concern, it wasn’t where she had felt the mass.

She stated, “If they hadn’t called me back, I would’ve assumed it was nothing.”

Thankfully, they did call her back, and after expressing her concern and letting the technician know where she had felt her lump, they scanned that area as well. The next day, a biopsy was performed. The mass was located high up against the chest wall, so a special needle was shipped from Wichita, Kansas, for the procedure. Two days later, she got the dreaded call.

“I knew what the news was going to be when they said to come in and bring someone with you,” she said. “My sister came with me, and then afterwards, we met with my mom, my other sister, and my kids to let them know the news. I think it was harder on my 16- and 10-year-old grandchildren than anyone.”

Two days after she received her diagnosis, Huser was at the hospital getting a port put in to begin chemotherapy treatments. She received treatments once every three weeks for four different sessions using two different drugs. That 12-week round – the first of four planned rounds – went fairly well, and other than losing her hair, Huser said it could’ve been a lot worse.

Huser works at the Pittsburg, Kansas, office and says everyone at work was supportive. Team members volunteered to take her meals, help clean her house, and in just 10 minutes, they raised enough money to purchase a different head scarf for every day of the week. The team also held a fundraising raffle called the Super Supporter Super Bowl package, with a large-screen television as the grand prize. Everything raised went toward medical expenses and anything else that she needed.

The next round of chemo didn’t go as well as the first. Huser made it through three weeks of the planned 12-week treatment.

“I thought it was going to kill me,” Huser said. “I had blood blisters on the bottom of my feet, and it was affecting my lungs. I could hardly walk up the stairs at work.”

Luckily, the tumor had shrunk enough for the next step: surgery to remove the cancerous growth with one treatment every day. Three tattoos remain, which marked the spots where the technicians needed to point the laser to destroy any remaining cancer cells.

An emotional Huser said she is thankful to be alive but will be scarred permanently by her experience. Anyone who has been touched by cancer can attest that once you hear you have cancer, your life is forever changed. Screening tests are used to find breast cancer before it causes any warning signs or symptoms.

Regular screening tests (along with follow-up tests and treatment if diagnosed) reduce your chance of dying from breast cancer. And remember, although rare, breast cancer in men can happen. There are many resources available such as komen.org and cancer.org that cover a number of topics from recommended screening periods, signs and symptoms, financial resources, and treatment options.

Watco’s health care plan covers preventative wellness checks, so be sure to check and see if you need to schedule your annual exam and, as Huser stated, be sure to communicate with your doctor if you have any concerns or detect any changes. It can be lifesaving.