Rhonda Steed
Tell us about your diagnosis
My journey began after a routine checkup in October 2021 when my mammogram showed some questionable calcifications and a small tumor. I had two different types of biopsies, one with ultrasound, and the other with imaging. The results showed ductal carcinoma, Her2, hormone based. This type of cancer when caught early is “Treatable, Curable”. That was a quote my nurse navigator repeated frequently and expressed to share frequently with the people around you to reassure them that I was going to be ok.
What was your first thought when diagnosed?
When I first found out, it was not from my doctor, but by myself in the parking lot of the pathology lab. I was so scared. The only part of the report that I understood was “carcinoma” “CANCER”. I was freaking out. I just sat there for a very long time crying. Thinking what was in my future? That is when I reached out to my wonderful friend and longtime coworker, Nicole. She had unfortunately already experienced breast cancer a few years earlier a knew what I was going through. She immediately scheduled me an appointment with her surgeon and that is when I was assigned my nurse navigator. Unfortunately, all these wonderful medical professionals were in Palo Alto, 4 hours away, but they are the best.
Tell us about your journey
My journey began with several trips to Sutter Health (Palo Alto), testing, etc. but they make sure that you are scheduled for surgery within 6 weeks of your diagnosis. I also met with my plastic surgeon to figure out all my options. I had a lumpectomy with reconstruction. This was an outpatient procedure, and my elderly parents insisted on taking me. It was a very long few days, but I was not about to deny them the opportunity to be there for me, they always have…:-) I returned home and after a few months I began radiation. I was lucky that it was not in my lump nodes, so I did not have to have chemo.
What is your most vivid memory of your cancer journey?
The most vivid memory was the look on my families face when I told them. My daughter had just bought a home and was moving out, and she has always been here with me. I did not want her to put her life on hold for me. My boyfriend was speechless, but throughout this journey it brought us closer together. God works in mysterious ways. And my parents faces, the last thing they ever wanted to hear was that their daughter had cancer.
What would you share with someone else who is on this journey?
I would say to someone that is going through this journey, remember to stay positive. Keep your family and friends close to you and never give up. You have to advocate for yourself and never feel like you are bothering anyone. Find a circle of people that have had Cancer and support one another. Your body maybe cured, but your mind will always play tricks on you!!! Get involved in the community helping others.
Nicole Dehn
I had a routine mammogram in December, 2019. I got the result in the mail that I needed to follow up with an ultrasound. As I have fibrous breast tissue, this is not unusual and I had an ultrasound several years before, so I was not that worried. However, then I learned I needed a biopsy. I was not stressed out but really wanted to know the results. I had a feeling that it would be positive. On January 28, 2020, my gynecologist called and asked me to come into his office.
My husband and I received the news that day. He was completely shocked. I was not. My reaction was strange even to me. I would have thought I would have broken down, gone home and curled up in a ball. But I went into complete business mode. I wanted all the information I could find and learn. I went immediately to my friend’s office that works in the medical field. I picked her brain. I called several women that had been through the breast cancer journey and learned everything I could from them. I bought a couple of books. And most importunately I turned to the Lord. One of my friends whom I very much respect told me about her journey and the team she used in Palo Alto. I immediately made appointments with them and another doctor so I could have more than one opinion. I hated driving four hours to Palo Alto, but I loved the team there.
The nurse navigator explained everything to my husband and I, and we met with the surgeon and a plastic surgeon. I ultimately decided to go with that team and started having all my other testing done. I had genetic testing because I wanted to know if I had a gene I was passing on to my daughter. Luckily, I did not. I decided to have a lumpectomy because my tumor was tiny. My surgery was on February 28, 2020 – exactly one month after diagnosis. It was a whirlwind. I also had 5 weeks of radiation. The recovery and radiation occurred during Covid lockdown. So that was hard as I had to attend all those sessions and follow up appointments alone.
Fast forward a few years and a sweet friend from work, Rhonda, tells me of her diagnosis. I immediately go back into business mode and tell her exactly what to do. I even made her an appointment to get the ball rolling. We have bonded so much over this awful disease. I always liked her, but our friendship truly grew unfortunately because of breast cancer. Now we are sisters. We schedule our six months appointments on the same days so that we can go down to Palo Alto together. We have the support of our families, but going with someone that knows exactly how we feel, the stress, and the exhaustion of it, makes it easier for us. We can support each other and lift each other up in ways no one else can.
I made Rhonda come to the first Think Pink meeting with me. She was fresh out of her treatment and not really feeling like it emotionally. We attended in June of 2022. Think Pink had not held their bridge lighting event for two years due to Covid. At that point nothing was planned for 2022. At that first meeting we stepped up to plan something because we felt like the message of early detection was so important. We both did well with our treatments because we caught our cancer early. What started out as an idea of at least just having a pop up and handing out information turned into a whole event! It was awesome. Now she and I are in year three of planning the event and are happy to teach the community about early detection and what kind of resources are available in Redding in case you or someone you love is diagnosed with breast cancer. We are passionate about spreading the word, Early Detection does save lives. I hate that both of us got breast cancer, I hate that this was the thing that brought us together, but I am glad for our friendship and the mission that we are a part of. I would tell people to make sure they advocate for themselves. Don’t wait around for a doctor’s office to call you back. Keep calling, go in, find out answers. It’s your health and your life – be a pest if you must. Never stop fighting for yourself.