Stacey Lutz is no stranger to cancer. She was first diagnosed with breast cancer in October 2017 after a regular visit to her OBGYN, Roy Swindle, MD, when through a routine mammogram it was discovered that she had two lumps.

She underwent surgery locally with David Parker, MD, to remove the lumps and thankfully caught them early enough that she did not have to undergo chemotherapy.

"As far as cancer experiences go, I had a good one," she says. "There was nothing remarkable about it." After radiation treatments at the Pearlman Cancer Center, all seemed normal, and she returned to her regular work and routines.

A few years later, in August 2022, Stacey noticed what seemed to be some bruising on her breast in the same area as her surgery. It was located on the underside and was not very visible.   

Stacey showed Dr. Swindle the bruises, and they agreed to continue to monitor the area.

She went in for a follow-up appointment with her oncologist at the Pearlman Cancer Center, Samuel Ofori, MD. He then sent her for another mammogram, which did not show anything unusual.

By December, Stacey was back at Pearlman for lab work. At this point, the spot was turning different colors with lesion-type areas. She again showed the bruising to her care team, this time a nurse in the lab, and she insisted that Stacey see Dr. Ofori again that same day.

Dr. Ofori referred her to General Surgeon Jared Sanders, MD, for a biopsy. This time, it came back as angiosarcoma, a rare cancer that forms in the lining of blood vessels and lymph vessels. 

Dr. Ofori and the team at Pearlman consulted with other specialists and referred Stacey to the Mayo Clinic's specialized sarcoma team. However, Dr. Ofori remained her primary oncologist through chemotherapy. Her care plan was coordinated through SGMC so that she could keep working in the Valdosta area while undergoing treatment.

Stacey says she sincerely appreciates her care team's willingness to coordinate her care at another facility. She says she was impressed that the team at SGMC understands what their strengths and capabilities are and chose to do what was best for her by referring her to a specialist for care.

"I could not have had mentally such a positive attitude and continued to work without the trust and coordination of the three teams at SGMC, Mayo Clinic, and UF Health," she shares. 

Following the chemotherapy, Stacey underwent radiation treatment through the University of Florida's Proton Therapy Center in Jacksonville. Next came her first mastectomy surgery at Mayo Clinic, and she still has a second mastectomy surgery to follow.

Though her journey is still ongoing, Stacey says she encourages all women who are eligible to get their annual mammogram. She serves as the perfect example of doing self-checks, staying in tune with your body, and advocating for yourself and your health when something seems off.

Cherise McKinnon is an Air Force Veteran whose first duty station was at Moody Air Force Base in 1993. Because she is a veteran, she often travels to the closest Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital to receive care, which is in Gainesville, Florida.

In 2015, a routine mammogram showed breast calcifications, or calcium deposits that develop in breast tissue. While they are usually benign, they can be a sign that someone is at risk for developing breast cancer. Because of this, Cherise was told to have mammograms every 6 months, rather than annually.

At her February 2022 mammogram screening, another cluster of calcifications showed up in a new spot. She was scheduled for a biopsy on March 2nd. On March 4, she was told that she had invasive ductal carcinoma, the most common type of breast cancer.

After receiving her diagnosis, the VA gave her clearance to receive her cancer treatment in Valdosta at SGMC's Pearlman Cancer Center rather than traveling back and forth to Gainesville, a two-hour trip each way.

She says now she pushes women who are eligible to not put off their breast cancer screenings. "I tell my story and encourage ladies to get their mammogram," she says. "Had I not been scheduled for my mammogram, I wouldn't have known about my cancer diagnosis. The earlier you find out, the better your chances are of getting the right treatment. I don't know how long it would've gone unnoticed."