One mammogram can make all the difference

Having a daughter who worked in health care, Tina Taylor was always adamant about getting her annual mammograms. It wasn’t until COVID that she began missing her annual screenings.

Thankfully, her primary care physician and her daughter pushed her to get back into the routine of yearly mammograms.

After scheduling the appointment in 2023 after 3 years of missed screenings, the results came back as a complete shock.

Being in good health and experiencing no physical symptoms even with regular self-breast exams, Taylor did not expect to be diagnosed with very aggressive stage 1 breast cancer.

“Had I not had that mammogram when I did, it could have been a much different outcome,” said Tina.

The first step in her cancer journey was having a lumpectomy, followed by 30 days of radiation.

She credits oncologist Rajesh Shah, MD, and her care teams at IU Health Bedford for making her experience such a positive one.

“My radiation experience was amazing, and everyone was so welcoming,” said Tina. “I loved being able to go to Bedford because after treatment it was nice to be able to come home and relax and not have to drive 30 to 40 minutes to get back home.”

Now cancer free, she is especially grateful for those who pushed her to get that screening mammogram.

“My biggest thing is don't put it off. That's what I tell everybody I see. Had I waited, it would have been way worse than it was,” said Tina. “Get your breast examined every year. If you have anything suspicious, check it out and advocate for yourself.”