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Editor's note: This is the first of four cancer survivor profiles for Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October. Each profile will appear in Friday's H & N.
There is almost immediately something about cancer survivors: they know their illness from the ground up and know the treatments; it's an integral part of their life and they study it tirelessly.
It's part of defeating the devil at his own game. Once diagnosed, patients learn about as much as their doctors about the disease.
Rebecca Chase was 29 years old in 1996 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer or "microcalsifcations with a malignant tendency".
The word "malignant" is not something that no one wants to hear, but the good news is that the sooner he is caught, the better his chances of survival.
Chase, of Klamath Falls, said she had done a self-examination and found a disturbing mass. Since she was well under 50 years old and she should have a regular mammogram, her doctor advised her to wait about three to six months before undergoing further tests.
"I went home and thought for a few days and decided no, I should be tested," she said recently. "You had to be 50 years old for a basic mammogram or insurance would not cover it. Fortunately for me, I had good insurance and could pass the test. "
The test led to a biopsy and the doctors also suggested that he wait. But she pushed the problem and he came back positive.
What is strange is that there is no history of cancer in Chase's family. A native of Portland, Chase, now 51, has been in good health all her life, eating the right foods, exercising and staying active. At the time, while working full-time for Cell Tech, she also directed Klamath Dance and Exercise Studio in downtown Klamath Falls.
Following a lumpectomy in which the mass was removed from the breast, it was discovered that the cancer was growing rapidly and had exceeded its usual limits. So there was six weeks of radiation therapy. While this usually causes lethargy in patients, Chase continued to move forward with his life. She was taking six months to take methotrexate; chemotherapy treatments.
"I was still able to function well as a little girl. A little tired, but I was still able to keep my hair, "she laughs.
And then she took an estrogen inhibitor called Tamoxifen for five years. It lasted about 10 years.
In 2005, she became pregnant and left tamoxifen. She gave birth at age 37 and everything seemed to go well until she found another lump. Estrogen may be the vector of cancer cells and it was likely that its pregnancy stimulated it.
Her child was 9 months old and she was breastfeeding. The result was a mastectomy and, about three years ago, a hysterectomy because the cancer can usually spread to the uterus. This time, the treatments made her lose her hair, but she redoubled her efforts.
Today, his cancer is in remission, although there is a small chance that he can come back. Her daughter, now 13, talks openly about the disease, possible causes and treatments.
"Getting tested early is the key," said Chase. "We're all born with a cancer gene, that's the way it's manifested." She also underwent tests to see if she could pass the cancer to her daughter, but these tests turned out to be negative. However, her daughter plans to start testing at age 19, 10 years before the age when Chase discovered her cancer.
"Doctors today are much more aware of what patients are experiencing and listening to, agreeing to be tested sooner," notes Chase. "Breast cancer is one of the most curable cancers, it's detected early."
From the beginning of her treatment, Chase was part of a group of women known as Norma's Challenge. He was named in honor of Norma Dinwiddie, a former resident of Klamath Falls, who died in 2000 as a result of the disease, which can affect an average of one in eight women.
"We started with seven women and we have four left, but we're not as active," Chase said.
The group promoted breast cancer awareness and raised funds at golf tournaments to help women get tested and treated for cancer. Today, with the Affordable Care Act, about 99% of the population is covered for testing.
Chase's advice: Be aware of your body, do self-exams and be your best lawyer.
"We saw a lot of women who did not have insurance when Norma's Challenge was active. There is an old woman story that says cancer does not hurt. Cancer hurts, but it can be too late if you do not do the test early. "
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