“Either fight or give up.”
That was the choice Angelica Ouk faced when she was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer at age 29 not long after the birth of her second child.
“I have two young boys,” she said. “Giving up is not an option.” So, with the help of her dedicated healthcare team at Mount Carmel Grove City, she’s fighting.
It wasn’t a fight she was expecting to have. But when she saw a discoloration on her left breast while she was pumping at work one day, she thought something might not be right. Her primary care provider, Casey Scurlock, APRN at Mount Carmel Medical Group Grove City, referred her to Mount Carmel breast specialist Dr. Callie McAdams, who sent her for imaging right away.
The scans showed four spots on her right breast. The three biopsies she had next confirmed her worst fear – cancer. Fortunately, they’d caught it before it spread. And the discoloration she’d noticed wasn’t related to the diagnosis. It wasn’t even in the same breast. It was simply a change in her skin. It led her to act though, so it seemed provident.
“There was no skin dimpling, discharge, or other symptoms,” Ouk recalled. “The discoloration got my attention, though, and when we did eventually find a lump it felt like divine intervention.”
Divine or not, it wasn’t the only kind of intervention she’d need. She’d need neoadjuvant chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation as well. Fortunately, she had a great group in her corner.
Dr. McAdams and medical oncologist Dr. Chris Rhoades explored all the possibilities with her. “If I needed a double mastectomy, that’s what I wanted to get,” she said. “I just knew I needed to be here for my family.” But with comparable reoccurrence rates among the common surgical approaches, the doctors knew that wasn’t the only option. Instead, they recommended what’s called an oncoplastic reduction, which is essentially a lumpectomy combined with a breast reduction. In addition to keeping her breasts, the procedure allows for a higher chance of negative margins, which limits the chance of recurrence.
“Who knew breast cancer was the best way to get a free breast reduction,” she joked.
While she awaits her surgery in late October, Ouk is undergoing an initial round of chemotherapy, and the care she’s receiving now is just as compassionate and attentive as it was when her journey began.
“Everyone has been so kind, patient, and knowledgeable,” she smiled. “From all my doctors to Heidi, my chemotherapy nurse, who kept me from getting an infection, to Tiffany, my dietician, who’s changed my relationship with food, they’ve all been great. I’m so thankful for my entire Mount Carmel care team.” “I believe there are blessings that come out of difficult things in life,” she continued. “Cancer has actually made parts of my life better. I’ve overcome a lot of things because of cancer.”
Ouk’s battle isn’t over yet. She’ll have radiation after surgery to give her the best chance at survivorship. But her family, her friends, and her team are behind her. And lord knows she’s up for the fight. Because giving up is not an option.