The Coshocton County Beacon October 17, 2018 - Page 19

THE BEACON 19
www.coshoctonbeacontoday.com
OCTOBER 17, 2018
Shroyer shares breast cancer survivor story
By Josie Sellers
[e-mail]
COSHOCTON – Becky Shroyer has always been diligent
about getting her annual mammogram and that is a big
reason why she is alive today.
“Early detection was the key,” said Shroyer, who is a
breast cancer survivor.
In 2015, a spot showed up on her mammogram that
caused concern and she went back for a second one.
Shroyer then went to Knox Community Hospital for
further testing.
“Th ey did a sonogram and saw it right away,” she said.
“Th ey asked if I could stay for a biopsy and when they
drew fl uid out I could tell from the look on their face that
something wasn’t right.”
Shroyer was diagnosed with cancer in May 2015 and
met with a nurse navigator who was there to answer any
questions.
“It was stage 1, but triple negative,” she said. “Th at
meant it was very fast growing and can come back quite
frequently.”
Shroyer and her husband had planned a trip to Alaska
and her doctor encouraged her to go and come back and
start treatment.
“We took a week-long cruise and then stayed a week,”
she said. “I just blocked it all out. We had fun and were
amazed by the beauty God created.”
When they returned Shroyer had her lumpectomy.
“My grandson Zane (10-years-old) told me to look at
my surgery as getting tubes put in my ears – it won’t
be that bad,” she said. “He knew how upset I was and
Josie Sellers | Beacon
Becky Shroyer has been cancer free for three years,
three months and 11 days.
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thought that would calm me down and it worked.”
After surgery, she had 16 rounds of chemotherapy and
33 radiation treatments.
“Because it was triple negative they wanted to hit it
hard,” Shroyer said.
Losing her hair was the hardest part of her treatment.
“When my hair was gone I was bummed,” Shroyer
said. “My hair was so thick and now it’s baby fi ne, but
that’s a small price to pay.”
She also made sure she prayed before each time she
received chemo.
“It gave me peace of mind,” Shroyer said.
In April 2018 she got the all clear and has now been
cancer free for three years, three months and 11 days.
She has to go back to her oncologist every six months,
but after this visit will be able to start going yearly.
“My faith got me through,” Shroyer said. “I don’t know
how anyone could do it without God.”
She also couldn’t have gotten through it without the
support of friends and family, especially her husband
Gary and her daughter Kristy who went to every chemo
appointment with her.
“Knox Community Hospital couldn’t have been better
to us,” Becky said. “Th ey treated Kristy and Gary just
like family and the nurse navigator was unbelievable.
She told me exactly when I’d lose my hair and she was
right.”
Becky encourages all women to get their mammo-
grams and those currently battling breast cancer to stay
positive.
“In the blink of an eye your life can change due to a
disease,” she said. “Your goals, dreams and priorities are
forced to take diff erent turns. You are grateful for little
things and worry less about the big things. You leave
behind the history of yesterday and try to fi gure out how
you will use today’s energy.”
Have YOU scheduled your
mammogram ?
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The American Cancer Society recommends women
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Talk to your doctor today, and choose the digital,
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A doctor’s order is needed to have a mammogram.
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In honor of my sister Karin, co-worker
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