Missing one annual mammogram may not seem like a big deal — but it could mean the difference between life and death.
That’s what Angel Adams, certified clinical medical assistant at TidalHealth Primary Care in Laurel, says.
Adams had been performing routine self-exams and had gotten annual mammograms since she was 39. But at age 42, she found a lump.
She found it at the end of March 2023, and she was due for her mammogram at the end of April. She couldn’t stop thinking about it and decided to move up her test.
In less than a year since her 2022 mammogram, her cancer had metastasized, and when she was diagnosed in April 2023, the cancer was at stage three.
She was treated by TidalHealth practitioners with chemotherapy, immunotherapy, surgery for lumpectomy and lymph node dissection, and radiation. Her final immunotherapy treatment was June 25, 2024. She’s now cancer-free.
While having cancer is certainly scary for anyone, there have been advancements in treatment, making it possible for more people to have a successful outcome, Adams said.
According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer death rates have declined 44 percent from 1989 through 2022. If invasive breast cancer is localized to the breast, the five-year relative survival rate is more than 99 percent, and that number is still 91 percent for cancer found at any stage, the organization’s website says. The numbers may continue to improve as time goes on.
Adams uses her experience to encourage patients to get their screenings. People should advocate for themselves when it comes to their health, she said.
“I feel like it was God’s plan to help me help our patients,” she said.
You can make a difference
Help save lives in our community by supporting the Sheila Zimmer Breast Screenings Fund. Created in memory of Sheila Zimmer, a Salisbury native who bravely battled breast cancer twice after a lifetime of giving back to others, this fund helps provide access to life-saving breast screenings and care up to diagnosis for patients in need. Through this effort, Sheila’s legacy of compassion and generosity will continue to touch lives.
Visit the TidalHealth Foundation page to support and help continue Sheila’s legacy.
