Photo courtesy of Houston MethodistHealth
Beyond Pink Ribbons: A Woman’s fight against Stage 4 Breast Cancer Diagnosis at 32
When Odessa Brown noticed a lump, she didn’t expect a stage 4 breast cancer diagnosis at just 32. Now in complete remission nearly five years later, her message to other young women this Breast Cancer Awareness Month is not only self-advocacy but also education about the reality of survivorship.
After her self-exam, Brown listened to her gut and made an appointment with her primary care physician, who recommended a mammogram.
“My doctor listened to me, felt it was serious enough to warrant further evaluation and referred me for imaging, and that’s what led to my diagnosis,” Brown said.
Additional testing revealed the cancer had spread from the breast to the liver, resulting in a stage 4 diagnosis.
“Odessa presented as a stage 2 patient, but further testing revealed the cancer was hormone-receptor positive and had spread,” said Dr. Priya Ramshesh, oncologist at Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital. “Many people hear the words ‘stage 4’ and immediately think there is no hope. While metastatic breast cancer is a serious diagnosis, advances in treatment are helping many patients live longer and maintain quality of life.”
Ramshesh said that treatment for this advanced cancer for a young woman goes beyond chemotherapy and breast surgery – the ovaries must also be removed to reduce estrogen production.
Removing Brown’s ovaries helped to remove fuel for the cancer, but induced menopause decades earlier than many women anticipate.
“Going into menopause, especially in your thirties, is a lot to navigate on top of fighting cancer,” Brown said.
Cancer took Brown’s breasts, hair, ovaries and part of her liver, but she continued to fight.
Brown has taken hormone therapy pills since completing treatment to help reduce the risk of her breast cancer returning. But she said the cancer journey doesn’t end when a patient rings the celebration bell. Survivorship, she said, is an ongoing part of cancer care.Throughout every stage of that journey, Brown has leaned on the unwavering support of family and friends, particularly her husband and daughter, whose encouragement helped her maintain a positive outlook throughout her cancer journey.
“Every time I get my scan results, my husband reads them first because it’s still scary,” Brown said. “I always expect the worst and pray for the best. Hearing there is no evidence of the disease was overwhelming in the best way possible.”
Her message to women, especially young women, is to use their voice.
“Don’t ignore something because you think you’re too young,” Brown said. “Trust yourself, ask questions and speak up if something feels wrong. Most importantly, don’t give up hope. And to anyone going through breast cancer, this is only a chapter in your book – not the whole story. Life is meant to be lived, and I intend to do just that.”
Houston Methodist Neal Cancer Center at The Woodlands supports north Houston and Montgomery County patients at every stage of their treatment. This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Houston Methodist physicians encourage speaking with a physician about any family history of breast cancer, changes noticed in one’s body and/or scheduling a mammogram.
Source: Houston Methodist
