UK HealthCare

Two-Time Breast Cancer Survivor Shares Her Experiences to Help Others

of

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 22, 2014) – In 1994, University of Kentucky alumna Cathy Bell was diagnosed with breast cancer – for the first time.

Because she had a family history of the disease (her grandmother fought breast cancer), she began having mammograms at an earlier age than most. And during her baseline mammogram at age 39, her doctors discovered an unusual pattern of calcifications, and ultimately, a malignancy. 

Treatment quickly followed – a lumpectomy (a breast-conserving surgery) and radiation. Bell, then a busy elementary school principal, says she was mainly concerned about getting back to work.

"I had a school to run and needed to get past that 'bump in the road' and return to my duties," she said.

Ultimately, Bell only missed four days of school. She headed back to work as soon as she could, fitting in an hour of daily radiation into her schedule. When her treatment was completed, she thought she was done.

"I thought I had moved past it," she said.

Local recurrence, or the return of a cancer to its original location, is a relatively uncommon circumstance. Most of the time, a local recurrence will happen within the first five years following diagnosis.

However, in a few instances, a local recurrence can happen many years down the road. In Bell's case, she was nearly two decades cancer-free before receiving that sobering diagnosis for a second time.

In 2013, she noticed an unusual pain under her arm. Though she'd had a regular mammogram only six months earlier, she went back to her doctor for another. The results showed a similar pattern of unusual calcifications in the same breast – her cancer had returned.

Now retired, Bell says she spent a great deal of time researching treatment for breast cancer, and her investigations led her to University of Markey Cancer Center breast surgical oncologist Dr. Patrick McGrath. Because she'd undergone radiation therapy previously, Bell could not use that treatment again, which is commonly paired with a lumpectomy.

Instead, she opted for a bilateral mastectomy with delayed reconstructive surgery. Additionally, she underwent genetic counseling at Markey to determine if she carried the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation – a test she did on behalf her sisters, who are now considered "high risk" due to having two close family members with breast cancer. Luckily, Bell's results were negative.

Bell, an avid writer, says she turned to poetry to help work through her emotions after her second diagnosis. Shortly before her surgery, she composed a piece titled "This One is About Me." The poem, written in a catchy cadence with humor sprinkled throughout, served another purpose – to give her friends and family information on her health straight from the source and help them understand what she was going through.

"I turned to creativity to deal with my issues," she said. "That's how I dealt with all that information."

Shortly after she wrote her poem, Bell received a letter from the UK Markey Cancer Center inviting her to participate in the center's inaugural "Expressions of Courage" event, a creative exhibit showcasing original artistic expressions created by cancer patients, friends and family. Bell immediately knew she wanted to participate.

"I thought, wow, I already have this done!" she said.

Contributing to Expressions of Courage was just one way Bell has given back. She notes that she "loves UK" and supports the Markey Cancer Foundation and other cancer research organizations when she can. And having gone through the difficulties of dealing with breast cancer not once, but twice, she says her role now is to help others deal with their own diagnoses and to help in any way she can, noting that sometimes that just means lending an ear. She is frequently called up by friends or family members affected by breast cancer, who are seeking help and understanding for themselves or on behalf of a loved one.

"This is just the way it's supposed to be," Bell said. "I feel like I'm here to help other people… Famous people may write a book or talk publicly, but that's not my style. I'm a good listener when I need to be."

Earlier this year, Bell was dealt another small setback when she was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma in her lip. After undergoing Mohs surgery, the former UK cheerleader was back to living her life yet again, staying busy in retirement – and remaining eternally optimistic.

"It's just what I've been dealt," she says. "I love life and I want to keep living it!" 

MEDIA CONTACT: Allison Perry, (859) 323-2399 or allison.perry@uky.edu