Maybe breast cancer is only on your mind during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, but MU senior Molly Boland and her family think about it all the time. Molly’s mother, Renee Boland, was diagnosed with stage I breast cancer April 19, 2011.
Renee went in for her yearly mammogram, and doctors found clusters of calcifications in her left breast. The clusters concerned the doctors, so they performed a biopsy. She had a triple negative tumor, which is the most aggressive and fastest-growing tumor you can have. Shortly after they found the tumor, the doctors performed a lumpectomy to remove the tumor and tissue around it. Luckily the cells had not spread.
They placed a chemo port in her neck, where they would distribute the medicine. Two days after Renee received the port, Molly had to be in Texas for an internship. Her parents drove her to Texas, and then a few days later Renee started her first chemotherapy treatment.
The treatment made Renee very sick, and she had to be hospitalized for days. She was weak and nauseated, and her immune system was totally shot. She was eventually released from the hospital but returned a few days later with heart palpitations. Renee got stronger and was able to return home and work occasionally. For her second, third and fourth rounds of chemo, the doctors lowered her doses. Her body responded better, but she was still extremely fatigued.
After the last treatment, the doctors did a double mastectomy, meaning they removed both her breasts. Molly says it gave her mom some peace of mind to do that. The double mastectomy will allow Renee to immediately feel any new lumps. A doctor also placed temporary expanders in her chest. He fills these with liquid every two weeks to make Renee more comfortable. Her fourth surgery, which they hope will be around Christmas time, will remove the expanders.
Renee was able to work occasionally in between treatments, and Molly came home to visit. Molly remembers when her mom started losing her hair, and their lifelong friend and hairdresser shaved her head. “That was really tiring and hard for her,” Molly says. She was worried her mom’s hair loss and major weight loss would make her lose her femininity, too. But she calls her mom a “confident woman,” who she hopes will feel beautiful again. Renee’s hair is growing back in a salt-and-pepper shade. She wears a wig with a pink monogrammed hat and headbands, and she likes to wear baseball caps on the weekends.
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Molly feels torn about the time she spent in Texas away from her family. She called her mom every morning on her way to her internship. She says it might have been a good thing she didn’t see her mom during the scariest part of her life. She gives her mom “tough love” and tells her, “I am your rock, Mom. I am your rock.” Molly calls her dad prince charming. “It’s impossible for anyone to be more supportive than my dad,” she says. “My dad lives for my mom.” Molly’s two older brothers are close with her mom and are extremely supportive of her as well. She recalls her oldest brother telling their mom he was about to lose it because he was worried about her. Her family is very religious, and they believe God was really looking out for them. “He has to be,” Molly says.
Molly and her family have felt an outpouring of support. Renee is a nurse at Mercy Hospital in St. Louis, and whenever she had a surgery, her coworkers would all wear pink. The Boland’s living room is covered in cards they plan to turn into artwork. “It’s hard to use the words ‘cancer’ and ‘lucky’ in the same sentence, but we were lucky we caught it so early,” Molly says. She is thankful her mom still has many years to live.
Molly ran a Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure for her mom. She’s never run three miles before, so she was happy she could do it. Her mom wasn’t able to make the race, but a freshman from Molly’s sorority, who she didn’t even know, ran by her side the whole time. Her roommates met her at the finish line. Molly wears the diamond from her mom’s original wedding ring around her neck every day, too. It’s important to her because her parents have been married for more than 30 years.
Renee will eventually have a fifth surgery to remove the chemo ports once she and her doctor are confident she is cancer-free. Five years is generally a safe amount of time. “I am extremely confident my mom is cancer-free,” Molly says.
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Molly does a self-exam every month and reminds her friends to do the same. She said the best time to do one is the day after your period ends. She urges women to get a yearly mammogram, and one every six months if you have a family history. One of her mom’s doctors said they are diagnosing more and more young women with breast cancer. Some doctors think it might be related to processed foods, so Molly recently cut out all processed foods from her diet. This idea is still up for debate. What we do know is that breast cancer is an incredibly complex and confusing topic. Her Campus Mizzou is here to help with the answers to some of your most pressing questions. As always, check with your doctor for the best advice and before you make any decisions regarding your health.
Q: What should collegiettes™ do right now to prevent breast cancer?
A: Some evidence suggests being overweight, taking birth control pills for an extended period of time and consuming large amounts of alcohol or red meat can increase the risk of cancer. Although some studies show evidence supporting the birth control theory, other studies have found no relationship between the pill and breast cancer. If you are concerned the pill is putting you at risk, consult your doctor. Besides adopting generally healthy habits, find out your family’s history of breast cancer. You have an increased risk of developing breast cancer if someone in your family has ever been diagnosed.
Q: How do doctors detect breast cancer?
A: Breast cancer can be detected through self-exam, a mammogram or a biopsy.
A self-exam is optional for women in their 20s, so ask your doctor when you should start. Once you do, it’s recommended you continue every three years to check for unusual lumps. A mammogram is an X-ray that surveys the breast. In the past, health care professionals advised women to start getting annual exams at age 40. Some doctors have said recently that it’s not necessary for women to start getting mammograms annually until age 50. Breast tissue in younger women tends to be denser, and some doctors say that it leads to false positive results. If you have a history of breast cancer in your family, it is a good idea to get annual exams at a younger age.
Q: What does a self-exam entail?
A: When doing a self-exam, you are looking for lumps, unusual tenderness, swelling, discoloration and pain. Find the complete steps here. Listen to your body, and be sure to talk to your doctor about anything unusual.
Q: Can I get breast cancer in my 20s?
A: It is possible. Only 7 percent of women diagnosed with breast cancer are under 40 years old. However it really depends on your family history. It is harder to treat breast cancer in younger women because their breast tissue is denser. You can perform the monthly self-exam to be safe.
Q: Can breast cancer cause death?
A: Yes, but 90 percent of women can receive treatment and recover if it is caught early enough. It is especially important to pay attention to your body, so you can catch it early if you do have it. Talk to your doctor if you feel anything unusual or have any concerns.
Additional Resources
MU Student Health Center: (573)882-7481
Ellis Fischel Cancer Center: (573)882-2100