My Story

I had just returned home from our Country Club’s annual “Ladies Breast Cancer Golf” fund-raising event, to find a message from my gynecologist saying I needed to see a breast cancer surgeon, that it appears I have breast cancer in possibly two areas. The yearly event I had just attended did nothing to calm me regarding the news, but it made me very aware that so many of my friends had already been through this. This made me realize I was not alone and I immediately had a built-in support group.

I set up an appointment with a highly recommended breast surgeon in my area. Those few days between my notification of possible breast cancer until I met with Dr. Denise Sanderson, my breast surgeon, were the worst for me. Not knowing for sure, not knowing how bad, not knowing what could or would be done…..it was absolutely horrible.

The day I met Dr. Sanderson, she immediately set up additional tests, biopsies of the two areas, outlined everything as best she could at that time, and her detailed explanations, plus the feeling that I had that she really knew what she was doing and that I was in good hands, calmed me.

From that point on, events moved very quickly. The biopsies were done with only one area testing positive. Then many tests, surgery, then MammoSite radiation. Several years earlier, our Ladies Breast Cancer Golf Tournament raised some $30,000 plus to enable our local hospital to have the very last and final funds necessary to buy the machine used for this radiation procedure. I did not fully understand the machine at the time, but it was explained that MammoSite radiation was a new breakthrough and our local hospital was very privileged to be able to have this machine. Dr. Sanderson and my radiologist Dr. Griffis worked closely together to make sure I was qualified, and that the procedures necessary for this form of radiation were exact. I qualified, and on April 23rd through April 27th I had radiation twice a day. Then, after five days, I was done!

So many of my friends who have had radiation before the MammoSite procedure was available, or did not qualify for it, have had to go daily, for five days a week for six weeks. The time factor with MammoSite is a definite plus factor, however, I believe the biggest advantage is the fact that the radiation is done from inside the body, and targets only that very specific tumor area.

I definitely recommend MammoSite radiation for anyone who qualifies for this procedure, and has access to a radiology group or a hospital that has the machine necessary for this procedure.

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