T R I - C I T I E S
Founded in 1994, the
Tri-Cities Cancer Center
is a leader in radiation
oncology in southeastern
Washington and
northeastern Oregon.
A partnership of
Lourdes Health Network,
Kennewick General
Hospital, Kadlec Regional
Medical Center, and the
Tri-Cities Community,
the center's mission is to
provide and coordinate
the highest quality,
compassionate care for the
communities we serve.
2013 Governing Board:
· Jeff Petersen, Chair
· Rick Millikin, Vice Chair
· P. Donna Vance,
Secretary & Treasurer
· PK Brockman
· Joseph Kelley, MD, PhD
· Susan Kreid
· Glen Marshall
· Thomas Rado, MD, PhD
· John Serle
· Rand Wortman
Administration Staff:
· Thomas Corley
· Michele Caron
· Vicki Dehler
· Elizabeth McLaughlin
· Michael Novakovich
· Janine McKeever
Carrie frequently slept over at her
friend's house when she was young.
Each time, she remembers seeing a
breast self-exam (BSE) card in the
shower. It didn't mean much at age
11. Later, when Carrie was 16, she
was about to get into her shower
when something reminded her of
that shower card she had seen years
before. Carrie remembers, "On a
whim, I decided to do a self-exam and
found a lump. I told my mom about
it, knowing lumps were common for
teenage girls." Carrie and her mother
weren't overly concerned at the time,
but scheduled an appointment with
Carrie's doctor. Life would never be
the same.
Carrie had an ultrasound and
needle biopsy. Two days after
Carrie turned 17, a surgeon
removed the tumor from
Carrie's breast. The doctor
expected it to be
a fibroadenoma,
a fairly common
benign (non-
cancerous) finding.
A week later,
Carrie learned that her tumor was
a malignant phyllodes tumor. It was
recommended she have another
surgery to remove more tissue to get
clear margins (normal tissue without
cancer cells). Following another
surgery, Carrie and her family
consulted with a team of oncologists.
A year later, Carrie's mother wrote:
"What a year it has been. There
has been much fear, uncertainty,
encouragement, happiness, growth
and peace. Carrie turned 18 yesterday,
and we pray that the cancer will
remain in her childhood."
Since her initial diagnosis, Carrie has
found additional lumps, undergone
more biopsies and many tests. She is
grateful that her cancer was caught
in an early stage and she didn't have
to have more radical surgery. She is
currently working in a physician's
office and is considering a career
in the medical field because, "I can
empathize with the stress of patients."
She continues to have checkups and
tests every 6 months. When she
reaches 5 years of "clean checkups," it
will become annually... for the rest of
her life.
Carrie is now twenty-two and a
newlywed with an amazing attitude.
What message does Carrie wish to
convey to other young women? "Girls
my age checking for lumps may find
things that concern them. Be
on top of what's normal for
your body and call your
doctor with concerns."
According to Cindy
Miller, RN Community
Educator and Breast Patient
Navigator at the Tri-Cities
Cancer Center, "Thousands of
BSE shower cards have been
given away. I can't say that
I've ever seen one in anyone's
shower. It made me think we
needed to re-analyze the best use of
our resources, until I heard this story.
Now, I want to encourage everyone to
hang a card in their shower and guest
bath as well. The life you save may not
be your own."
Phyllodes Tumors are rare and
account for less than 1% of all breast
cancer diagnoses. A Phyllodes tumor
may feel like a firm lump in your breast
tissue. It is not usually painful. This
type of breast tumor grows quickly,
increasing in size in just weeks or a
few months. This rapid growth does
not automatically mean the tumor
A Young Woman's Story
Breast Self-Exam Card - Prevention
*Carrie - name has been changed to protect patient's privacy.