According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation in the United States, one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. Breast cancer does not just affect women. It is estimated that in 2023, 297,790 women and 2,800 men will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. In honor of October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, here is one breast cancer survivor’s journey.

It was almost unheard of in the 1980’s for a 29-year-old woman to be diagnosed with breast cancer. Unfortunately for Densie Brooks this was her reality. At the age of 29 with three young daughters aged five, three and six months, Denise found a lump in her breast. Because of her age and where western medical advances were at that time, it was not first recognized as even possibly cancer.

It took several weeks to receive an official diagnosis. Denise’s doctors ran many other tests until the lump was finally biopsied and sent to Bethesda, MD. It was indeed a cancerous tumor about the size of a thumb. The doctors in the area had never seen this type of cancer before. At the time (1986), it had only been found in about 50 people in the United States that were being studied. It was a very slow-developing type of cancer. She did not need chemotherapy to treat it; instead, she underwent a single breast mastectomy, removing the entire breast that the lump was found in. Afterwards, she wore a prosthetic breast in its place. That same year Denise also was diagnosed with cervical cancer and had a complete abdominal hysterectomy.

For ten years, Denise was cancer free. One month after receiving her ten year all clear from her doctor, she found another lump in her remaining breast. She was diagnosed with stage three invasive breast cancer at age 39. It took only days to receive the official diagnosis. Denise had the remaining breast removed and then underwent very strong chemotherapy. It was such strong chemotherapy that she had to be put into a semi-induced coma to receive the treatment. Her routine for 6 treatments in three 3 weeks was to go to the doctor on a Monday to be put into the coma, receive the chemotherapy, wake up on Wednesday and return home to be extremely sick until the next treatment. The semi-induced coma was medically necessary because as soon as the chemotherapy entered her system, she would become violently ill and have horrible migraines from getting sick. She opted not to get a port for her chemo treatments and that is one thing that she regrets. The chemo tore up her veins and left her with a lot of nerve damage and pain. She lost her hair and had to wear a wig to as she put it “cover my uncle Fester head”. Denise opted to have reconstructive breast surgery after she completed her treatments. She underwent a type of surgery that is no longer performed. It was called a latissimus dorsi flap. The dorsal muscle tissue from the back is removed and moved to the front of the chest to hold the implants. Having the reconstructive breast surgery is another regret that Denise has from her journey. It left her with a lot of scar tissue, pain and looking back she sees that it really was not necessary. At this point in her life to her, besides for childbearing purposes she sees breasts just hood ornaments.

After surviving her second round with breast cancer, at age 50 she was diagnosed with vulvar cancer. No chemo was needed, she surgically had a lot of tissue from that area removed.

Denise is currently cancer-free but knows that the probability of having another cancer diagnosis in her lifetime is high. Denise has the BRCA2 gene, meaning that there is a genetic mutation that gives her a much higher risk than average of developing breast and other estrogen-based cancers. It is also a gene that can be passed down from one generation to the next. All three of her girls Johna, Tootie, and Katrina were tested. Only one of her daughters was found to have the BRCA2 gene. Of all the things that Denise has been through, this was probably the hardest part of her journey. Knowing that one of her daughters tested positive for the BRCA2 gene and believing it was her fault that it had been passed down. It was a very scary time for her when the girls were being tested, the fear that she had possibly passed it down to any or all of them terrified her.

Denise is the first woman in her family to live on her mother’s side. Beginning with her greatgreat grandma, great grandma, grandma and even her mom all died at young ages. Obviously in the cases of her grandmas, it was not diagnosed as cancer because of the lack of medical advancements, but her mother was diagnosed and passed away from ovarian cancer.

Through all of this her husband of 45 years, John has been by her side. He is her rock, and she has never woken up from surgery or been in the hospital without waking up to him by her side. Having cancer and going through the surgeries and treatments while her daughters were growing up didn’t stop Denise from giving them the most normal childhood she could. Even after her reconstructive surgery, within days when she should have still been recovering in the hospital, she went to basketball parent’s night for her girls. Even though she had a wonderful support system and people there for her, Denise feels that cancer is the most alone fight one can face. It is in the quiet alone time when she was not busy that her mind would think on and dwell on the what ifs and outcomes.

Denise has some advice for anyone going through cancer treatments or who has just been diagnosed. First just breathe; it is one breath, one step, one minute, one hour, one day, etc. Secondly, do not dwell on the diagnosis; feeling pity for yourself is natural, but don’t let it consume or constantly be in your thoughts. Thirdly, listen to the doctor and follow their instructions. Take an active role in your treatment and health. Ask questions, get second opinions and share your thoughts and opinions with your health care providers.

In Denise’s own words, “I’ve had a long run”. She has lived far longer than she ever expected. She has been able to watch her children grow and hit milestones that she never imagined being able to see and is now getting to do the same with her grandchildren. Even though she does not know what the future has in store for her, she is upbeat, funny sarcastic, and most importantly realistic. She is living life to the fullest and enjoying every minute of it.

Thank you, Denise, for sharing your journey and advice with the community. It is through Denise’s journey of survival that it is hoped that other people will see the need to do monthly self-breast exams and yearly mammograms.