Breast Cancer: Francina's Survivor Story

What happened, in summary

Francina had no breast cancer symptoms when her routine mammogram the day after Christmas found something suspicious. A few days later, her doctor called her back for another mammogram and an ultrasound because a mass had been seen. The ultrasound confirmed the mass was cancerous, and Francina began gathering information before telling her children so she could answer their questions.

Her surgeon explained the options, and Francina chose a lumpectomy. During surgery, cancerous cells were found outside the original mass in sentinel nodes, so 2 weeks later she had another operation: an axillary lymph-node dissection. The margins were clear, and she was told the cancer had not spread farther.

Treatment included 4 rounds of chemotherapy every 2 weeks, followed by 12 rounds of another chemotherapy regimen. She then received either 32 or 33 rounds of radiation. Francina later learned that biomarker testing had helped guide treatment for her specific cancer, although the exact marker results and chemotherapy drug names were not stated. As of October 2024, she described herself as 6.5 years cancer-free. Her story now centers on advocacy through the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and Sister Justice Alliance, where she encourages early detection, self-exams, family-history conversations, and speaking up when something feels wrong.