Evansville nurse urges women to get checked after her fight with breast cancer

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) - October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and people are being encouraged get a mammogram.

Early detection is still your best bet. Over the last month 14 News has talked with individuals with a special connection to breast cancer.

“Do your research, be an advocate for yourself, and do what you need to do to survive,” said Evansville nurse, Genia Lynn.

Lynn fought breast cancer and won. She was first diagnosed in 2011.

“I knew those words were coming,” she said.

On the heels of losing her father to lung cancer, Lynn says she got a mammogram to confirm what she already suspected.

“He was more important at the time,” said Lynn.

She was diagnosed a few months after he father’s death and told she had a 20% chance of survival.

“My mother was still grieving the loss of her husband. My sister and brother were also grieving the loss of their father. So it was just in shock and numbness really,” said Lynn.

Early detection is still the best chance at fighting cancer. To meet the needs of those with busy schedules, mobile clinics such as Deaconess Mobile Breast Center, provide 3D mammography.

“It’s in a big van that essentially has a mammogram machine in there,” said Dr. Amber Koon, a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine with Deaconess.

Koon says they recommend those with low risk begin getting mammograms at the age of 40 and someone of higher risk begin at age 35, and go yearly after that.

“One in eight women develop breast cancer in their lifetime, which is really common and frequent,” said Dr. Koon.

The service is offered to get more patients than they typically do at the hospital.

“So those early screenings allow for us to do smaller surgeries and allow us to prolong their life,” said Dr. Koon.

While appointments are required, Deaconess Officials hope their services help meet those who need it where they are.

As for Lynn, she got the all clear after two and a half years.

“It was amazing. It was. That what I had went through was not for nothing,” said Lynn.

For those that are going through this right now Lynn says to lean on your loved ones to make sure you follow through with what your physicians are recommending.

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