A mammogram, which started off as an act of moral support for a friend, changed Tracy’s life. The mammogram found a tiny lump in Tracy’s breast – so small that it was undetectable by feel. Soon after, the doctor returned with bad news – Tracy had ductal carcinoma in situ.
As Tracy underwent two lumpectomies, a mastectomy, a breast reconstruction, and chemotherapy to treat her DCIS, she always tried to see the humour in it all. When Tracy was told by doctors that she needed a mastectomy, she thought “Well, I won’t have to cook tonight”. Embracing her sense of humour helped Tracy overcome the challenges that came with cancer treatment, like hair loss, weight loss, and being sick after chemo.
For Tracy, she didn’t ‘battle’ breast cancer, she simply went through the process of recovery and attributes her health to her treatment regime. Today, Tracy finds joy in seizing the day. Her advice? After diagnosis, a patient’s job is to do what the medical experts tell you to do. That’s all you can do. It’s not a battle, it’s a process.