worried,” Rentz said. “I was very career-driven at that point in my life, so I just kept going about my normal schedule as a full-time doctoral student.” Then came the appointment with the surgeon- and herself- that a breast biopsy could wait until the end of the semester, she finally decided to take incompletes in her classes and start “focusing on the task at hand.”
In less than a month, Rentz went from sitting in a routine appointment to having her breast biopsied, her lymph nodes removed, and her will to fight challenged almost every step of the way. Rentz- a self-described independent and private person- endured months of physical therapy to regain movement temporarily lost in her right arm after surgery to remove her lymph nodes. Unable to brush her hair or change he own bandages, Rentz said she leaned on her husband, parents and cancer community of people prayer and support.
“Breast cancer made me open up in a way I never thought I could.” Rentz said, “I had to let people in and help me and to encourage me.