MTC’s Jane Marquardt Shares Personal Story with Cancer In Hopes of Helping Others
Jane Marquardt, MTC Vice Chair
“Hi, it’s October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. My name is Jane Marquardt, and I wanted to spend a few minutes telling you about my personal experience and encourage you to get your mammogram.
So, I was a religious “getter” of mammograms, from age 40, never skipped a year. And it always seemed like a stupid idea because what a waste of time, I’ve got to take off work, go to a hospital, put my breast in that vise; nobody likes that.
I got busy a couple of years ago. I got busy and skipped a year. Then, COVID came. And I said, ‘I’m not to going to get it during COVID, it’s an unnecessary test anyway.’ So, I skipped it for some more time.
A little over two years had gone by before I finally went in and thought COVID is never going to end, so I guess I better have it. When I went in, I had breast cancer. Fortunately for me, it was stage one. But it had spread enough that I had to have a mastectomy, earlier in 2021.
It was a scary event for me. My father died of cancer. You know, when you first hear that diagnosis, ‘You’ve got cancer,’ you have no idea what you’re going to face.
Now that I’m on the other side of it, and I was able to get the surgery, and I did not have to have chemo, I feel very blessed that I was able to get that mammogram before it got any worse.
But for all of my friends, I just want to emphasize, ‘don’t be me.’ Go get that mammogram every year, because if you do have it, and they catch it early, you many not even have to have a mastectomy. They can do, maybe, just a lumpectomy or radiation treatment.
In going through this experience, I’ve talked with other women here at MTC who have also had breast cancer recently. One thing having this disease, it bonds you to your sisters going through the same thing.
I have to say, I have been very lucky and have gotten to admire their courage and that they’ve had to go through. But, please, don’t join our club. Go get your mammogram. If you haven’t had it for a year, as soon as you’re done watching this public service announcement, make a phone call and go get it. And stay healthy. Thanks a lot.
