Breast Cancer Patient Stories

At 36, Patti Rose, a wife and mother to seven children, was shocked to learn she had a rare form of breast cancer. Because her husband works in construction and had done several projects for Fox Chase Cancer Center, they knew right away Fox Chase was the right place for Patti's treatment. At Fox Chase, Patti underwent chemotherapy and radiation therapy, followed by a lumpectomy and additional surgery. The experience was extremely difficult, but Patti credits the staff at Fox Chase for giving her a positive outlook and helping her get through it. Today, she is cancer free and could not be more pleased with the treatment she received. "Fox Chase helped me to be positive. If I didn’t have that connection with doctors and nurses and even the security guard that I would talk to every time I was there, I think I would have felt more afraid," she said. "Knowing all those people were praying for me, thinking of me, and trying to get me through it made me feel like I could overcome it."

I discovered a pea-sized lump in my right breast at age 36, shortly after my father died. My father had been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma at age 19, colon cancer while in his 40s, and then esophageal cancer, which took his life at age 56. After his funeral, I felt I would get cancer one day, and as the oldest of 3 siblings, I thought I would probably be first. I was right.

In 2011 at the age of 28, Tracy Gatto learned she had breast cancer after she discovered a lump in her breast. She sought a second opinion from a specialist at Fox Chase Cancer Center and immediately felt that was where she wanted to seek treatment. Tracy underwent chemotherapy, followed by surgery and reconstruction. Because of the BRCA1 genetic mutuation she most likely inherited from her father, Tracy had increased risk of ovarian cancer. She worked with the Risk Assessment Program, where she was referred to a surgical gynecologist to discuss the possibility of undergoing a prophylactic oophorectomy to remove her ovaries. Today, Tracy is doing well and even took part in Paws for the Cause, an annual dog walk and fundraiser hosted by Fox Chase, to give back. "It really takes a special person to work at Fox Chase. Everyone I met had a smile on their face and was incredibly positive," she said. "As a receptionist, I knew it can be a struggle to stay positive all day long. It’s hard to make cancer a positive experience, but I never left feeling discouraged."

Judi Blue began yearly mammography screening when she was 35 after she learned she had fibrocystic breast disease, a noncancerous condition, and also because of a history of breast cancer in her family. This strategy paid off when Judi found out she had breast cancer in 2007. Because her mother was treated at Fox Chase Cancer Center for breast cancer in 1995, Judi chose to go there as well. Her treatment consisted of a lumpectomy, other surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. Two years later the cancer returned, and Judi underwent a mastectomy with reconstruction, which was a success. "I was very impressed with all the staff I met at Fox Chase," Judi said. "I can’t imagine seeing people in this condition day after day and it not taking its toll on you. All of the nurses were amazing and compassionate. The nurses in the infusion room were so comforting and empathetic."