According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This month, and all year long, we honor those whose lives have been impacted by this disease. One of those being our very own, Jeannie Guck. We sat down with Jeannie to learn more about her experience with breast cancer.

Tell me a little bit about the beginning of your journey – when were you diagnosed with breast cancer and at what age?

I was diagnosed on December 5, 2019, at age 55. I had just registered to run my first full marathon the week before my mammogram in November and thought I was in pretty good shape. 

 Is there a family history of breast cancer?

Not really. My family, including myself, has a genetic mutation called HNPCC or Lynch Syndrome. The types of cancer associated with my mutation are primarily colon cancer and female reproductive organs (uterus and ovaries). I was diagnosed with colon cancer when I was 40. It was caught early and I was fortunate to have been able to treat this cancer with surgery and stay ahead of it with screenings (lots of colonoscopies). Until recently, it was not known that my genetic mutation could also increase my risk of breast cancer. After meeting with a genetic counselor, I learned that my risk is about double that of the general population for breast cancer. This was really surprising to me since most of my family members who carry the Lynch gene have had colon and/or female reproductive cancers, but not breast cancer.

How was the cancer initially detected and what was it like receiving that news?

My breast cancer was found at my routine annual mammogram at Perham Health. It was not detected at my annual breast exam about 6 weeks earlier. I was shocked. I already had colon cancer and wasn’t aware of an increased risk for breast cancer. My cancer was Stage 1B, Grade 3 Triple Negative Breast Cancer.

A strong support system can be crucial during a time like this. Did you have a good support network (family, friends, doctors, etc.) to lean on throughout this journey and what was that like?

I had a great support system. One of my coworkers at the time was a breast cancer survivor and she became my mentor throughout the process. As soon as my daughter posted my story on Caring Bridge, several other survivors reached out to me and helped me through my journey as well. There are many wonderful people in the New York Mills and Perham communities! I also found a Facebook Group that was just for Triple Negative Cancer patients/survivors. There are about 4,000 members in this closed group worldwide and they had a lot of helpful advice and resource recommendations. I also found a YouTube vlog series from a young mother in Ireland who went through a similar situation and documented every step.

Roger Maris Cancer Center was very helpful in making sure my questions were answered and my needs were being met. Perham Health was amazing from the beginning of this journey. From my initial mammogram until the end of treatment, everyone was kind, professional, and supportive and had my best interests in mind. I visited Perham Health often for lab work and other procedures that could be done locally, which was nice. Communication between all of the Perham Health departments and providers was excellent. I think I benefitted from being able to experience our local healthcare facilities from both the patient and employee perspective.

Can you talk about treatment and how COVID-19 impacted that process?

I had 2 different kinds of chemo that lasted for 5 months, this was followed by surgery and then 4 weeks of daily radiation treatments. I found that cancer and its treatments affect every part of your body and life.  Fortunately, with preparation, I also found that many of the side effects are treatable or avoidable. I believe in being proactive and did quite a bit of research prior to starting treatment so that I would be ready.

COVID-19 has been a big challenge. Mostly because there was no way to prepare for the obstacles this would cause. Midway through my chemo, visitor restrictions went into effect and no one was permitted to accompany me to treatments. My driver had to drop me off and hang around in Fargo for 4 hours or I had to drive myself to and from treatment. Luckily, I was able to drive myself most of the time. I wasn’t able to work during my treatment because of side effects and compromised immunity. One of the hardest things was not being able to see my grandchildren – thank God for FaceTime!

Where are you now in your journey?

I am thrilled to say that I had a “complete pathological response” to my treatments and I am now cancer free! I work for Perham Health in the New York Mills Clinic. I was unable to work for 8 months during my treatment, but my coworkers and administrators were so very understanding and supportive. I was able to return to work about two months ago and just returned to full-time a few weeks ago. I am very grateful to my work family for all of their support and for helping me ease back into “normal” work life.

That is wonderful! What advice would you have for other women who have been recently diagnosed with breast cancer?

That diagnosis is really difficult for anyone to hear, but there is help and support available. Progress is being made every day to improve treatments and outcomes. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Rest when you need it. Learn everything you can about your diagnosis and treatment options so you can be prepared to live your life while going through treatment and as a survivor.

Tell me about your family and what you enjoy in your spare time.

I have been married to my husband, Jerry, for 35 years. We have 3 children and 5 awesome grandchildren. We live in the country outside of New York Mills. In my spare time, I like to garden, run, kayak, play guitar, and follow the Detroit Lions (I am a Michigan girl so I have an excuse). The full marathon is still on my bucket list, but for now I am happy that I am able to begin running again.

What’s the most important message you want to share with women in our communities about breast cancer awareness? 

Please get your mammograms and other cancer screenings! I would also like to say a huge thank you to all those who supported me throughout my journey.

A sincere thank you to Jeannie for sharing her incredible story with us. We hope it will inspire and encourage other women to get screened regularly. Early detection can save lives. Breast cancer that is found early is often much easier to treat successfully.

Schedule your screening today.

218-347-1375

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Perham Health Community Relations