Skipping a mammogram for one year didn’t seem like a big deal to Christa Liedke.
The 59-year old was good at keeping up on her annual appointments, didn’t have any family history of breast issues, and mostly just wanted to avoid the discomfort brought on by the procedure.
But when Christa’s daughter pleaded she go, Christa agreed to make an appointment.
She’s lucky she did.
The what started out as a routine mammogram turned into a year-long journey with HER2+ breast cancer, an aggressive form of the disease that required multiple rounds of chemotherapy and eventually, a double mastectomy.
Early detection
In the fall of 2017, Christa found herself among so many other women battling breast cancer, fortunately it was detected early.
“I never found a lump and never had any pain,” she said. “Early detection is so important. Women should never skip getting their mammogram.”
Christa expressed appreciation for RLMC’s Chemotherapy and Infusion Center for allowing her to receive treatments just over a mile from her home.
“I couldn’t imagine having to go out of town for chemo,” she said. “We’re so fortunate to have this beautiful center here and Betsy Loop, RN.”
Recalling the memories of the battle against breast cancer still stirs up emotion for Christa, but she’s thankful for what the experience taught her.
“The best advice I was given was I was not alone,” she said. “That is the best thing that could have been said to me. I feel very fortunate.”
