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Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer Patient Stories

Read stories directly from people who have been treated for breast cancer at the OSUCCC – James.

    Every person living with or receiving treatment for breast cancer has a story worth sharing. Each is unique and personal, yet familiar. From the moment of diagnosis to ongoing treatment and care, there are ups and downs, as well as triumphs and challenges that can inform and inspire others.

    You may have just received your diagnosis, or you may be going through a particularly rough patch. These first-hand accounts may also help you and your loved ones see there is hope. We are grateful for those who have shared their stories to connect with others, whether patients, family or caregivers, in similar situations.

    We hope you can find some encouragement and levity in reading these details of how we’ve helped others with breast cancer and how we might be able to help you.

    Breast cancer stories of courage and hope

    Patient Stories

    Gesele Booker
    Gesele Booker says that a personal breast cancer diagnosis always felt inevitable. She had watched several women in her family navigate diagnosis and treatment choices, ultimately losing her mother to the disease in 2018.
    Wendy Lybarger
    Days before traveling across the world, Wendy Lybarger was told she needed follow-up testing after a routine mammogram, which resulted in a diagnosis of breast cancer.
    Michelle McCarthy
    Breast cancer wasn't on Michelle McCarthy's radar — for good reason. She had no family history of breast cancer, and screening mammograms were years off. But then Michelle felt a lump.
    Lisa Overholser

    Lisa Overholser

    Patient
    "Life is a gift, and I am grateful to be living it every day. I would encourage any person facing a cancer diagnosis to advocate for yourself. No one chooses cancer, but you absolutely have a choice in where you receive treatment."
    Tracy Palmer
    Sharing is what Tracy Palmer is about, from bringing her children to chemotherapy sessions to ease their minds to enrolling in not one but five clinical trials at the OSUCCC – James.
    Nancy Rudd
    A college professor and mother of three, Nancy Rudd is a no-nonsense woman. And her message is clear when it comes to encouraging others to get timely cancer screenings.
    Gerri Speer
    After discovering she had triple-negative breast cancer, Gerri Speer was offered hope by enrolling in a clinical trial for patients with aggressive breast cancer.
    Kristal Staker
    Kristal Staker says she always knew deep down that she would develop cancer — it was simply a matter of when.
    Susan Tallentire
    After the initial shock of her diagnosis, Susan Tallentire decided she was — and is — a breast cancer survivor. She credits the steady support of her family, students and The James team.
    Emma Yeager
    Emma Yeager has been living her life 10 minutes at a time since February 2020, when she was diagnosed with stage two triple-negative breast cancer at the age of 32.