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Mammogram catches mom's cancer early
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Published: October 8, 2009
Donna Rowland thought about skipping her routine mammogram this year.
But she went ahead and kept her appointment, a decision that may have helped save her life.
After the results came back abnormal, Rowland had an ultrasound and biopsy and received the diagnosis no one wants to hear — breast cancer.
"I was overwhelmed and so many things were going through my mind. That first day, I was just devastated, and I let myself fall apart," she said. "I think the hardest thing I had to do was to tell my kids. I just thought it was a dream and couldn't believe it could happen to me."
After the initial shock wore off, Rowland, a lab supervisor at Lake Norman Regional Medical Center, picked herself back up and vowed not to let cancer defeat her.
"After my diagnosis, I went through an MRI which is more precise and a guided biopsy, and the doctors said they found something in my right breast as well," she said. "My doctors were so understanding and really guided me through this whole experience."
Weighing her options carefully, Rowland chose to get a double mastectomy in August.
"It just ended up being the best thing for me," she explained. "I already knew I had one tumor and after learning there might be another in my other breast, I just did not want to go through this experience more than once."
Although she was frightened at times, Rowland said she relied on her faith to give her strength.
"It was really emotional, but I have such a faith in God," she said. "It was funny, I just figured that he would get really tired of people praying for me so he would fix me, and he did. He picked me up and carried me through this whole thing."
Because the mammogram caught her cancer early, she did not require chemotherapy or radiation, and will be starting reconstructive surgery later this month.
"My experience really opened up the eyes of other women in my life, especially in the lab. It seemed like everyone just ran to get their own mammogram, because it touched so close to home and they realized that it could happen to them," she said. "If that's the message I can give others, I'm happy with that. Go to the doctor, it doesn't take that long and it's important."
Rowland said she hopes other women who are diagnosed with breast cancer will find hope in her story.
"I just want every woman out there to know that losing a breast is not the worst thing that can happen to you," she said. "The worst thing I could think of was not being able to see my grandchildren graduate from high school. I want to see them grow up."
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