Breast Cancer Survivor of 18 years educating people on the importance of getting screened
“Breast cancer accounts for 1 in 3 new cancer cases in women each year”
WICHITA FALLS, Texas (KAUZ) - October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month where women and men are urged to get screenings to help early detection of breast cancer.
Breast cancer is responsible for the deaths of about 42,000 women and 500 men annually.
Karel Davis was diagnosed with breast cancer in August of 2005.
Her battle lasted almost a year when she had her final chemo session in May of 2006.
“This will never happen to me you know, there is no way. So, then I thought, oh never say never,” Breast Cancer Survivor, Karel Davis said.
Karel’s sister was diagnosed in 2005 as well, which led to her getting a routine mammogram.
“We had a strong family history but I kind of ignored that. When she was diagnosed she was like why don’t you go get a mammogram. I’d had mammograms before but I said okay just to kind of get her off my back for a minute” Davis said.
Three weeks after her sister, Karel was diagnosed a three-and-a-half-centimeter-sized lump was found in her breast.
Davis explained she would get routine mammograms but not like she should have.
“The importance of doing a mammogram every year is so you have a comparison,” The Women’s Clinic Radiology Supervisor, Leslie Gauthier said.
“Radiologists are looking for tiny tiny changes because you want to catch cancer as soon as you can so if you come regularly every year you are more app to find those tiny changes very early,” Gauthier said.
Doing self-exams every month, once a month is also encouraged.
Karel has also battled tongue cancer, and two mastectomies, and suffered issues with her lymphatic system because of her breast cancer.
“I could not have gotten this far, without a great faith in God,” Davis said.
“If you were to walk for five minutes in my shoes and you didn’t have any faith you wouldn’t get anywhere,” Davis added.
She now works for the Wichita County Health District and continues to educate people on the importance of health.
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