Breast cancer survivor shares her story, urges other women to get screened

Women should schedule annual mammograms starting at the age of 40 to detect and treat breast cancer in its early stages.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and for women battling breast cancer, the treatment process can be scary. That’s why one breast cancer survivor is sharing her story: to remind other women about the importance of regular screening and a strong support system.

At the age of 40, Christy Henry began scheduling her annual mammograms.

“My mother and my aunt both had breast cancer, and I knew that early detection was incredibly important,” Henry said.

She also began scheduling ultrasounds after a cyst was discovered during her mammogram.

At 45, a coworker pushed Henry to schedule an appointment she’d been putting off.

“During the ultrasound, they did find something that was suspicious and sent me for a biopsy, and it did come back positive for breast cancer,” she explained.

Henry says the results came as a surprise since her mother and aunt weren’t diagnosed until they were much older.

“I was extremely scared,” she said. “A lot of things go through your mind when you hear that you have cancer.”

But she wasn’t alone.

Henry says the information and support she received from her cancer navigator was an integral part of her treatment process.

According to Oncology Breast Nurse Navigator at Piedmont Macon Medical Center, Kimberly Lewis, signs for breast cancer include changes in the skin, discharge or feeling a lump in the breast.

“Imaging will pick up things before a woman may feel a lump, so it’s very important because early detection is the key,” Lewis explained. “The earlier we can get something diagnosed, we’ll be able to treat it and be much more successful.”

She says changes can happen in the breast from year to year, so annual mammograms can help detect cancer early.

Lewis explains part of her job is to put patients at ease by providing support and to honor those who are battling breast cancer.

“We’re here to help patients from the moment they are diagnosed and through to survivorship,” Lewis said. “We are here to help them and their families, give them resources and education about their disease and just help them from each step along the way.”

Henry says her relationship with Lewis went beyond the treatment process.

The two became friends, with Lewis connecting other women battling breast cancer to Henry so they can share their stories and create a sense of reassurance.

“In the breast cancer survivor community, I think you’ll find there is a lot of camaraderie and a lot of support, and it truly is a sisterhood,” Henry said.

Henry opted for a double mastectomy, and after her treatment, she says her results came back cancer free.

Now, Henry wants other women to know the importance of regular screening. She says if her doctors hadn’t caught the cancer in its early stage, her treatment would have been very different.

“That’s something I’ve become incredibly passionate about, because it’s so important, and it made a difference in my journey,” she said.

Piedmont Macon is offering Saturday mammograms now until December in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

You can schedule an appointment for a mammogram between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. at Piedmont Macon Medical Center on November 4 and 18 and on December 2 and 16, or at Piedmont Macon North Hospital on November 11 and December 9.

To schedule your appointment, call 877-357-0161.