Sandy's Story

Name: Sandy, in honor and memory of her sister, Carol.
State: Maryland 
Date of Diagnosis: 2005
Age at Diagnosis: 53
Stage of Diagnosis: 4 
Time from "normal" mammogram to diagnosis: "Normal" mammograms for years - and a recent "normal" report within months of her Stage 4 diagnosis
How was cancer detected?: By physician

Carol's story as told by her sister Sandy

My sister Carol had dense breasts. Although mammograms were ordered every six months by her surgeon, who had removed breast cysts in the past, he recommended no follow-up and said "everything is fine" when in fact the radiology reports indicated everything was perhaps not fine - because of her dense breast tissue. 

My sister never saw those reports and relied on her doctor's advice. Finally, he detected a thickening, but advised her to return in 3 months. When she did, cancer was quickly diagnosed and it had spread throughout her lymph node system - she had stage 4 breast cancer. Her breast cancer took her life 7 years later, in June 2012. 

Recently, I learned by chance that I too have dense breasts. I had always assumed I would be told! I found this out after ordering a copy of my mammogram report to submit to a clinical study. Even 8 long years after my sister's diagnosis, I never knew to ask whether I too had dense breasts - now I'm telling EVERYONE to ask about their breast tissue composition - it is a matter of life!