Lavan Dickson

Survivor

Lavan Dickson

I was diagnosed with stage 0 breast cancer in September of 2015. I went in for my routine mammogram in August. I saw that I had several missed calls from Womans Hospital about a week following the mammogram. The first thought I was I must owe additional money because I wasn’t charged a copay. I called and was told that I had an abnornal mammogram and needed to come in for a 3D mammogram. After the mammogram I was seated in a different section of the waiting room when a lady sat next to and said, “Are you in for a biopsy too?” “Oh no” I said, “I’ve just had a 3D mammogram.” The look on her face told me that I needed to brace my self and pray. Everything else from there is a complete blurr. I remember crying and thinking this can’t be. I have no family history of breast cancer. I met Dr. Michael Hailey and he said, “Don’t worry 85% of women that have these calcifications are just fine.” I looked at him and said, “And the other 15%?” “We won’t worry about that until after the results of the biopsy come in.” he said with smile. Well needless to say I was in the 15% of women who had Ductal Carcinoma in situ (DCIS). I had a Lumpectomy in my left breast on October 13, 2015. I was very blessed because the cancer had not spread and was detected early. I didn’t not have to have Chemo Theraphy. I just finished Radiation treatment on January 15, 2016. I’m praying that this cancer will never return. It’s not over yet I have to get a mammogram every 3 months. I thank God for early detection because if I had found a lump in my own breast who knows how far gone it could have been. My advice to all women check yourself regularly and get your mammograms. Cancer can happen to anyone!