Survivor Story

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we urge you to help clear up the controversy and read about breast exam recommendations, hear how we've made advances in mammogram comfort and schedule a mammogram today. And don't forget to read breast cancer survivor Jan Noland's story below:

Jan's Story

In September 2000 when Jan Noland was 51 years old, her doctor found a lump in her right breast during an annual exam. A mammogram confirmed the find and a biopsy revealed the lump was malignant.

Although colon and kidney cancer run in Noland’s family, she had no common risk factors associated with breast cancer, such as family history or obesity and said she was surprised by the diagnosis.  

“You never think it’s going to be you,” she said.

Despite her surprise, Noland said she took the diagnosis well.

“I’m a pretty matter of fact person, and I wanted to know how it was going to affect my life,” she said.

Once they learned the cancer had not spread to her lymph nodes, Noland and her husband Gary, who works as a digital radiation administrator at the hospital, decided they were going to treat the cancer aggressively.

“We wanted to do whatever we needed to make sure I was cured,” Noland said.

At the time, the Willamette Valley Cancer Foundation didn’t exist, and Noland would have had to travel for radiation therapy. That, coupled with the fact that she was nervous about the side effects of radiation, led the couple to the decision that a full mastectomy was the best option.

“I know it was a radical decision, but for myself and my family history of cancer, I wanted to remove any possibilities of having the cancer cells grow,” she said.

So, one month after the lump was discovered, Noland underwent a full mastectomy, followed by four months of chemotherapy.

And 10 years later, she is cancer-free.

“I really have the attitude that I’ve been cured of cancer,” she said.

Noland said she believes she is cancer-free because of early detection coupled with a healthy lifestyle and urges women to not only get a yearly mammogram, but to reduce lifestyle-related risk factors for breast cancer.

“Early detection is certainly a vital part of the equation,” she said. “But women really need to do their part in preventing or controlling their lifestyle risk factors.”

Noland, wo works for CityCounty Insurance Services as a benefits worksite wellness consultant, said that includes maintaining a healthy body weight, limit intake of saturated fats, increase your intake of fiber and vegetables and take part in some type of physical activity, such as walking, at least five days a week.