Editor’s note: October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and the Chicago Sun-Times invited breast cancer survivors to share their stories. We’ll share these first-person accounts throughout the month.
I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005. I was 65 years old.
I had made an appointment for my yearly mammogram but it was a month too early, I was so upset I decided that I was going to skip my mammogram that year. I did go back to have the mammogram. I am glad that I did. I was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer.
I had surgery then 12 weeks of chemo, 29 straight days of radiation and on medication for 6 years. I am so happy that I went back and made that appointment for my mammogram. Thank God for the support of my family my friends and my co-workers.
Two years later, in 2007, I was diagnosed with uterine cancer. I cried and cried because I kept thinking how can a person survive after having cancer two times. I have survived and continue to be cancer-free.
Mary A. Hooper, Chicago
