Photo By Bernard Little | Homemade cookies at the Murtha Cancer Center's Cancer Survivorship Days, June 5-6,...... read more read more
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By Bernard S. Little
WRNMMC Command Communications
“I remember like it was yesterday, I had recently given birth to my son in August 2019,” began U.S. Public Health Service Lt. Cmdr. Lorena Brayboy, in sharing her story as a breast cancer survivor with the Walter Reed community.
Brayboy, a social worker at Walter Reed, was one of several speakers, including survivors and providers, who celebrated life during the Murtha Cancer Center’s Cancer Survivorship Days, June 5-6 at the medical center.
“I experienced continued bleeding and was referred to Walter Reed for treatment during November and December of 2020,” Brayboy continued. “The resident who treated me said, ‘Hey, you’re 40 and have to get your mammogram.’ I had no idea I was supposed to begin getting my mammograms at 40. As I reflect, I feel a little embarrassed that I did not know this, but [that doctor] saved my life. Because of her, I scheduled my mammogram in December 2020.”
Tests revealed Brayboy had Stage III breast cancer on Feb. 12, 2021.
“After receiving the news, I felt so overwhelmed, shocked, and scared. I immediately thought of my son, and what would happen to him if I left this world. I told myself, ‘I need to live. I need to fight this,’” she shared.
Brayboy said a nurse case manager called her within 24 hours of her diagnosis. “I found it amazing how quickly members of the treatment teams rallied to discuss treatment options, develop a treatment plan, and begin treatment. The interdisciplinary approach utilized in treating my case was profound and noted from the start. Immediately, I met with all providers – surgeons, nutritionists, physical therapists, social workers, oncologists, and radiation oncologists, each providing an overview of their role in my care.” She added that she actively participated in the treatment process. “I never felt alone in this journey.”
On March 17, 2021, Brayboy underwent a localized lumpectomy to remove her cancer. Her margins were still positive following the procedure, requiring additional treatment and surgeries, including chemotherapy and a mastectomy.
“Cancer ignores military branches, ranks, rates, social classes, etc. As the second leading cause of death in the United States, we fight this disease together,” Brayboy said.
Through tears, Brayboy shared that her cancer journey “was long and hard, two years to be exact. Breast cancer placed me in a position of complete vulnerability that I never felt before. I had to tell myself, ‘I need the help. I need the support. It is here, and to take it.’”
She added cancer not only impacts those who have it, but their loved ones as well. She recalled three difficult moments. While washing her hair following chemo, “clumps of [her] hair interlocked [between her] fingers and [she] watched as it fell to the tub’s floor.” She also recalled her aunt brushing her hair for her, and “I saw her tear up in the mirror.”
“When my son saw me bald for the first time, he was taken aback, his eyes wide thinking, ‘Who is this?’ I told him, ‘It’s your momma.’ He smiled, rubbed my head, and gave me a hug,” Brayboy shared.
She also explained that her skin became burned, itchy, and peeled following chemo. “I recall looking at my mother’s face as she helped me apply balm. I was crying and I saw she was staying strong for me. I could not have made it through without the support of my family members who were there for me.”
“Every day is a gift. We should celebrate it, cherish our relationships and be hopeful for our future. We are strong,” Brayboy said.
Zoe Bogus, a genetic counselor at the MCC said, “Genetics should be an ongoing part of the conversation -between providers and patients when there is a cancer diagnosis.” She explained genetic testing is the use of medical tests to look for specific mutations in a person’s genes and could show if a person has a higher risk of developing some cancers. It can also help other family members decide if they want to be tested for the mutation.
Marie Borsellino, oncology survivorship coordinator for the MCC, shared that the purpose of Cancer Survivorship Days is “to raise awareness of the ongoing challenges cancer survivors face and to celebrate life.”
Retired Army Col. (Dr.) Jeremy G. Perkins, deputy director of the Hematopoietic Stem Cell program and chair of the MCC’s Cancer Committee, agreed. He added that the focus is often on “treating the cancer right now, but there is a beyond that,” which is why Cancer Survivorship Days is an important aspect of care. He said “the beyond that” is what providers want their patients focused on: survivorship.
He explained the MCC’s Cancer Committee includes a myriad of providers such as nurses, tumor registrars, surgeons, and others who help the Murtha Cancer Center retain its accreditation with the Commission on Cancer, a consortium of professional organizations dedicated to improving survival and quality of life for patients with cancer by setting and raising standards.
“One of the reasons I was drawn to oncology is that it’s a team sport,” Perkins said. “You have surgeons, radiologists, pathologists, nurses, medics, pharmacists, geneticists, radiation oncologists, physical therapists, case managers, nurse navigators, social workers, psychologists, dietitians, chaplains, administrators, researchers, volunteers, and I have probably forgotten some key groups, but all are here to surround our patients with the most advanced and compassionate screening, diagnosis, and treatment for their cancer and, ultimately, survivorship. We provide personalized care because there’s no one-size-fits-all [treatment].” He described the care as holistic.
In quoting Sir William Osler, described as the “Father of Modern Medicine,” Perkins stated, ’The good physician treats the disease; the great physician treats the patient who has the disease.’ I really try to focus on that -- I don’t treat cancer, but I treat people with cancer. Those people have lives and so much more beyond this clinic space, this visit, and this day in the treatment room.”
“As a medical oncologist, nothing pleases me more than seeing patients in follow-ups on the other side of treatments and living well,” Perkins added. “What’s most gratifying is our patients don’t stand before us, but with us in our fight against cancer.”
| Date Taken: | 06.06.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 06.08.2023 16:07 |
| Story ID: | 446536 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 57 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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