we're going pink today to bring
awareness to breast cancer you know one
in eight women will be diagnosed with
breast cancer in her lifetime 230,000
women will be diagnosed this year in the
US and that's why Baptist Breast Center
is here to help women through every part
of their cancer experience from
diagnosis through treatment and beyond
Andreea chasm is a navigator at Baptist
Breast Center and she's here with one of
her patients
Elizabeth Calvillo thank you so much for
being here Elizabeth let's start with
you because let's talk a little bit
about your experience and this journey
because you were diagnosed ten months
after losing your husband right leaving
you to raise four kids by yourself right
so life you never know what life's gonna
bring right so it was very unexpected my
husband passed away in May of 2017 and I
received mammograms pretty regularly so
I have a family history of breast cancer
and so I would go annually for my breast
exams and because of the death of my
husband that was the farthest thing from
my mind
so having a kind of bizarre the way I
find out I've had so many people asked
like how did you find out you had breast
cancer did you find a lump and for me I
didn't my mom had a dream which is
really bizarre but she was very
persistent that I go get checked and you
know you know everyday busy life and you
know it just didn't seem top priority
but that dream saved my life because I
went to have my memy gram they found the
lump and I had a biopsy and sure enough
on March the fifth I was diagnosed with
breast cancer and so I was extremely in
shock I was devastated having lost my
husband and you know dealing with breast
cancer it was just overwhelming
that same day Andrea called me and it
really put my mind at ease she it was
able to answer a lot of questions that I
had I met with her the day after and
it's been a partnership between yeah
absolutely she's been wonderful she's
helped me build the best
team for me my medical team I have the
best doctors that I could have ever
wished for I have my oncologist which is
Dennis dr. Dennis Russo and I have the
best plastic surgeon with dr. Ochoa with
PR MA and my oncologist of medical
oncologists dr. Lisa Fick doll and she
helped me put that team together and
it's been it's been great and so I
really wanted to be here today just so
one like I said life is unexpected you
don't think it's gonna happen to you you
can't really predict these things but in
the everyday busy of life it's worth
making the time because the earlier you
catch these things you know that your
success rate is much higher
absolutely so yeah so it's been quite
the ride I had my last treatment of
chemotherapy on September 10th and so
I'm extremely happy about that it's been
quite the journey been quite a journey
but I'm you know if I can reach one
person and that's what I hope to do
today right is if there's someone at
home watching that's you know so busy
you know it's important to stop what
you're doing and make time for that for
you and for your family but the only
thing that's really got me through this
is my faith so God God has been good and
like I said you never know what life's
gonna throw your way but my faith has
never been stronger and I have the love
and support of my family and friends and
it means the world
yes story and we're so sorry for your
loss Andrew real quickly before we go
let's talk about any tips for prevention
just really it besides you know this is
said we need to have mammograms but as
women we need to try to be as healthy as
possible let's exercise let's eat well
let's get great sleep and support
ourselves with the people that we love
all right let's get the information up
on the screen there is an event coming
up this Saturday paint the Parkway pink
a 5k run and walk one mile walk and Kids
Fun Run in Stono to support breast
cancer survivors and raise funds to find
a cure it's at North Central Baptist
Hospital at 520 Madison
oh you can find more information online
at paint the Parkway pink calm and for
more information call Baptist Breast
Center at seven-30 9610