Courtesy Photo | U.S. Air Force Col. Jennifer “MAD” Cowie explains a second opinion, this one at...... read more read more
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By Bernard S. Little Walter Reed Office of Command Communications When U.S. Air Force Col. Jennifer “MAD” Cowie received a normal mammogram in March 2023, she recalled that there were “no red flags or warning signs” for the mass that she would discover four months later while changing to go swimming.
“There was tenderness at the time I found the lump, but [I] associated that with a menstrual cycle, so it did not send off any alarm bells for me,” added Cowie, commander of the 459th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland.
After discovering the lump, Cowie called the appointment line the next day. “I was told I would not be able to see my primary care manager for about six weeks, so I asked for a telephone consult with the nurse [and] was then directed to sick call the next morning and seen that day,” she said.
“I was referred for a diagnostic mammogram, and the earliest appointment was around six weeks later. I remember at the time calling Walter Reed and physically going to Joint Base Andrews and the clinic at Fort Belvoir to see if anyone had an earlier appointment, but they were all booked. So, I put the unknown diagnosis in a box and lived my life to the best of my ability until I was seen for the diagnostic mammogram,” said Cowie.
“The room fell silent at the time of the ultrasound, and I knew it was cancer. The biopsy followed a week later, and it took between two to three weeks to get the results and typing back. Those were some dark days, filled with waiting and uncertainty as I underwent additional testing to see the exact staging of the cancer and I was relieved that it had not spread beyond the local lymph nodes,” she continued.
“The specific typing took around another week, which allowed a targeted treatment regimen that included immunotherapy,” she recalled.
Doctors diagnosed Cowie with Stage 2 breast cancer in September 2023. She completed six rounds of TCHP, a medication combination chemotherapy regimen used to treat early-stage, HER2-positive breast cancer. She used cold capping to limit her hair loss, and acupuncture for nausea management during chemo.
“The six rounds of pre-surgical chemotherapy shrunk the tumor to less than 1 mm, which was found in the post mastectomy pathology,” said Cowie. Because residual cancer cells remained, she followed up her initial treatment with 14 rounds of “chemo lite.”
“Unfortunately, I developed a significant infection on the affected side following my bilateral mastectomy after starting radiation,” she shared. Her tissue expander was removed in April 2024, and during chemo delays, she had monoclonal antibody infusions.
“My final chemo was April 25, 2025,” said Cowie, who also shared that she takes daily hormone blockers.”
Cowie describes her care as “excellent” at Walter Reed’s Breast Care and Research Center, part of the John P. Murtha Cancer Center (MCC), the Department of War’s only Center of Excellence for cancer care.
“Walter Reed was not where I started my care, but rather where I came for a second opinion at the suggestion of my husband. The team approach sat well with me, along with the entire team listening to my questions, ideas for care and their willingness to try alternative care options like acupuncture for symptom management."
Cowie added that cold capping was very important to her during chemo to avoid hair loss and "maintain some sort of normalcy" for her sons treatment. "The entire care team, especially the infusion room team, was understanding, patient, and caring during the entire experience,” she added.
Cowie said her prognosis is “great,” and that she has continued working through treatment.
“Be your own advocate, make lists to help keep you on track, and even on your worst days, know that you are worth it,” Cowie advised other patients. “It has not been an easy journey, and there were many unexpected bumps along the way, but I am standing here today because of my faith, my family, and friends.”
The care Cowie received reflects Walter’s Way, the medical center’s initiative to ease access to care and strengthen collaborations across specialties to ensure every patient receives the presidential care at the hospital.
For more information about the MCC’s Breast Care and Research Center at Walter Reed, visit https://walterreed.tricare.mil/Health-Services/Specialty-Care/Murtha-Cancer-Center/Breast-Care-and-Research-Center. For more information about Walter Way, visit https://waltereed.tricare.mil/waltersway.
| Date Taken: | 11.24.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 11.24.2025 10:55 |
| Story ID: | 552211 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 23 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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