Stage I Breast Cancer: Deidre's Survivor Story

What happened, in summary

Deidre Smith was careful about yearly mammograms, which made her 2015 diagnosis especially shocking. She came to Cleveland Clinic Florida for a second opinion after being told elsewhere that 2 calcifications were benign. On November 23, 2015, just before Thanksgiving, radiology found Stage I breast cancer in the back wall of her left breast tissue. Deidre was 47, had no family history of breast cancer, felt healthy and had no symptoms. Treatment moved quickly. In December 2015, she had a bilateral mastectomy, followed by chemotherapy and breast reconstruction. During chemotherapy, Deidre leaned into a structured routine. She walked every day, ate healthy foods, followed her doctors’ advice and drank 3 liters of water daily during treatment. She compared the determination she needed to the competitive mindset she used when playing tennis. Her daughter was 15 at the time, and Deidre said wanting to live for her family helped her keep going. Cleveland Clinic Florida helped her navigate multiple procedures and appointments, and she focused on reaching the finish line. As of August 2018, Deidre described survivorship with a different outlook on life. She no longer worried about small things, appreciated ordinary moments with family and friends, and stressed the importance of early detection through screening mammograms.