Monday, January 05, 2009
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See the video, writer Julie Cerney introduces Signe Bonnet.

More Cancer Revealed
 The breast MRI, which Dr. Sing performed, revealed additional abnormalities that were too small to be seen by mammography or ultrasound. Multiple tiny satellite sites branched out from the tumor in Signe’s right breast — additional cancer a lumpectomy would have missed.

There was also a tiny lesion in Signe’s left breast. Biopsy results confirmed that it was cancerous too.

Bilateral mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation became the recommended course of treatment. On this, Signe and the members of her multidisciplinary Breast Care Center team agreed.

Signe’s “F Factor”
 Throughout her treatment, Signe was struck by the amount of time physicians and staff shared with her, their willingness to accommodate her schedule and the convenience of having everything she needed at one location.

“I’d come for care, perhaps to a different floor on a different day, but I always received such wonderful support, Signe says. “It would begin with encouragement from Clint, the van driver, and continue with bright smiles from Joyce and Ethel, the greeters at the door, to all of the doctors, nurses and staff. They helped me get through this and really did become my friends.”

The staff at Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center are part of what Signe calls her “F Factor” — the combination of family, faith, physicians and friends that helped her fight and win the battle against breast cancer.

Coming Forward
 A very private person, Signe initially shared her diagnosis only with her closest friends and family. Many co-workers were stunned to learn, months afterward, that she had undergone cancer treatment. So why is Signe coming forward now?

“You don’t understand that it really can happen to you — until it does,” Signe explains. “I want others to see that breast cancer is treatable and survivable, and that this begins with regular breast self-exams and medical checkups. Women need to seek treatment early, understand the new options and realize that we do not have to leave our community to receive top-notch, one-stop care.”

For more information about the Methodist Breast Care Center, call (402) 354-5849.

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Comprehensive Breast Imaging Services

Whether you need a routine screening mammogram or a more complex procedure to confirm a possible breast cancer diagnosis, turn to Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center for expert, caring imaging professionals and cutting-edge technology:

  • CAD (Computer-Aided Detection) Mammography
     Compared to conventional mammography, this high-tech second review can provide earlier detection of up to 23.4 percent of breast cancers.
  • CAD (Computer-Aided Detection) MRI
     This high-tech second review pinpoints the size and location of up to 95 percent of breast cancers in women recently diagnosed or at high risk of the disease by evaluating the 1,000+ images generated by magnetic fields, radio waves and contrast agents.
  • Breast Ultrasound
     High-frequency sound waves produce images that help radiologists distinguish between solid tumors and fluid-filled cysts.

 

  • PET/CT
     A combination of two scanning devices used to detect the presence and stage of cancer: Positron Emission Tomography, which reveals cancer’s heightened cellular activity, and Computerized Tomography, which provides 3-D anatomical images.
  • Minimally Invasive Biopsy
    Techniques that enable radiologists to pinpoint abnormalities and extract tissue samples without surgery
    • Stereotactic Needle Biopsy
    • Ultrasound-Guided Biopsy
    • MRI-Guided Biopsy

To schedule a self-referral screening mammogram, call (402) 354-4001. To learn more about advanced breast imaging options that might be right for you, contact your primary care provider or visit www.bestcare.org. For assistance in finding the health care provider who is right for you, call (402) 354-8888 or (800) 958-6498.