Pinktober Profiles: October 2, 2014 - Marti Peterson

Pinktober Profiles: October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. For my part in raising awareness, I’m going to profile a survivor, previvor or caretaker each day. As part of the breast cancer community, I’ve been blessed to hear so many stories of strength, perseverance, hope, struggle, survival, and courage. To me, those stories bring real awareness about this disease. The women I profile this month honor me in allowing me to write their story. Please join me in celebrating them and share their stories widely! 

October 2, 2014

Marti Peterson was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 49. After having a routine mammogram, she was called to come back for a Magnification View Study because the radiologist saw a cluster of calcifications. A stereotactic biopsy, done as a follow up at the urging of her radiologist, revealed stage 2 ductal carcinoma of the left breast. Marti recalls knowing the news would be bad by the way the doctor's demeanor changed after he took the sample. She remembers having to hold it together because she had a long 4-hour drive home after the biopsy. When the news came, confirming her suspicions, Marti cried and recalls how scared she felt. "I was so afraid of what the future would hold," she said.

Awareness Tidbit: Young women tend to have denser breast tissue which can make it difficult to detect abnormalities in standard mammograms. If your radiology report indicates ANYTHING, please talk with your doctors about more effective ways to follow up. Ultrasounds, MRIs and biopsies can all be effective in detecting breast cancer in young women.  

On the advice of her breast surgeon, she opted for a lumpectomy, which removed a golf ball sized tumor from her left breast. Pathology results confirmed that the surgeon hadn't removed the entire tumor, so Marti was called to return for another surgery to remove part of her chest wall muscle. In her words: "Ouch!"  Marti soon returned to work, albeit slowly, and worked with her doctor's to figure out an effective care plan. Having gone for the biopsy and the consult with the breast surgeon alone, Marti chose to bring her son to the oncology

appointment, just to have that extra set of ears. Her oncologist prescribed hormone therapy and 6 weeks of radiation therapy, which she completed away from home.  A few months later, she developed cellulitis, which had to be drained. A few months after that, it happened again, so she was sent back for more surgery to remove another mass (twice as large as the original one) and place a drain. She later developed a blood clot, likely as a result of the hormone therapy, which she had to dissolve with daily injections. Another medication made her miserable. It was one challenge after another for Marti, but she was up to the fight. Marti relied on her son and her friends from work for support, which they gave in abundance. At one point, they even organized a benefit to help her overcome the financial burdens caused by her cancer. 

After treatment was over, life didn't feel the same. Marti's worldview changed. She eventually quit her job to get away from an abusive boss, sold nearly all of her belongings and moved from Montana to North Dakota to be closer to her son. Marti recalls the worst part, for her, was the waiting and the worry. She stayed strong and kept a positive attitude as much as she could. Looking back, she laughs thinking about the friend that told her she made cancer look easy. When Bryce, her son, looks at her, he sees strength, and it's that strength that Marti wants to share with others, even if just by holding a hand or giving them a shoulder to lean on.

Marti celebrates her 3 year anniversary of her diagnosis this month, and is thrilled to celebrate her 2nd normal mammogram in a row! While she'd never opt to go through all of this again, Marti says that "coming out on the winning side" has not just changed her attitude, it made her a better person.