Breast cancer survivor Terrey Roberts: Keep the faith
Terrey Roberts
Editor's note: October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and to bring focus on this disease that affects both women and men, Meridian Community College's chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, the international academic honor society for community and junior college students, will host the Queen City Race for Life and Street Strut Saturday, Oct. 22, beginning at 8 a.m. at the College's Damon Fitness Center. The event pays tribute to breast cancer survivors, increases breast cancer awareness, and raises funds for the Anderson Cancer Patient Benevolence Fund.
The chapter honors four ambassadors this year, Ronnie Key, Terrey Roberts, Cindy Scott, and Cassandra Tyson. Roberts, Scott, and Tyson are breast cancer survivors; Key was his wife's caregiver, who succumbed to breast cancer. All expressed their faith as instrumental in their journeys.
For Terrey Roberts, breast cancer has impacted her life twice.
At 40 years old, Roberts was diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer during a follow-up after a mammogram. "I kind of knew something was wrong due to the X-ray technician taking extra X-rays of the breast, then I was called into the doctor's office," she said.
Her faith kept her calm. Four years later, she would learn she had breast cancer again. "I knew I was going to be fine due to my faith in God," Roberts said.
For her first treatment, Roberts underwent a lumpectomy and radiation. After the second diagnosis, she had a bilateral mastectomy with TRAM flap reconstruction and her ovaries removed.
Roberts discovered she was stronger than she thought and learned to enjoy life more. "Because this was not going to be a death sentence for me," she added. And because of support from her husband and family and prayers and encouragement during both diagnoses, "I felt compassion and comfort," Roberts said.
Her advice to others? "Early detection is key to the survival of breast cancer. Get your yearly mammogram and do monthly breast checks,” she said.
Roberts added, "seek medical attention for abnormal findings."