Hi, my name is Brendan. My wife Melissa was diagnosed with breast cancer in July. This is her story:

On July 19, 2022, I had my first-ever mammogram at Falmouth Hospital. My PCP had ordered it after I complained of pain under my right arm. I later discovered we had COVID and assumed the swollen lymph nodes under my arm were from the virus. My PCP insisted I still get the mammogram, and I will be forever thankful for her persistence. They found something in my left breast during the mammogram, and after a breast ultrasound, the doctor on call came to speak with me. He told me I had at least a 50% chance of having breast cancer and would need a biopsy. I was in shock, but didn't cry. It was not the first time I had heard the word "cancer." In 2009, I was diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer and underwent a complete thyroidectomy in January 2010. This new potential cancer was unrelated, but I had been down the cancer road before and knew what to expect. On July 22nd, I received the call. I had invasive ductal carcinoma.

From there began a litany of appointments with surgeons at Cape Cod Health Care, Mass General, and Tufts Medical. We ultimately decided upon an excellent surgeon at Tufts who has performed surgeries on several of Brendan's family members. I will be having surgery on Monday, September 19th. Following the pathology of the lymph nodes removed during surgery, it will be decided whether or not I need chemotherapy. I will, however, need radiation therapy and that will commence once I have healed from surgery. There will also be medications I must take for the next five to ten years to prevent a recurrence. There are so many unknowns at this point, and any help is greatly appreciated.