Breast Cancer: Journeys of Faith
Mary Tay Gallagher
Mary Tay Gallagher (who goes by Tay) first became a patient at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF) in 1961 while she and her husband Ned were raising their family of six children in the Palo Alto house they still call home. The tragic loss of their youngest son at age 9 to a brain aneurysm strengthened the close bond that Tay already shared with her early PAMF physicians, a team that included the late Robert "Jamp" Jamplis, William Clark and the late Joe Davis. "Dr. Davis was like a father to me," she recalled. "When we called the ambulance the night my son was stricken, Dr. Davis met us at the hospital and continued to call me every week for years, just to see how I was doing."
Over time, three of Tay's five surviving children had children of their own, and today Tay has eight grandchildren. One day in 1996, at the age of 74, this devoted mother and grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Once again, Tay's doctors at PAMF joined forces to help her. Breast cancer surgeon Tony Marzoni performed a single mastectomy and medical oncologist Paula Kushlan managed Tay's recovery. Rosemary Maresca, R.N., was also instrumental in guiding Tay through the challenges of dealing with cancer. "Caring and love are the bottom line for these people," Tay said. "They don't just care for you as a patient. They care for you as a person."
This care was elevated to a new level when Tay was diagnosed with breast cancer again in the fall of 2008. "When cancer recurs, it may become a chronic disease and this requires deeper reserves of courage and hope," Dr. Kushlan said. "The goal is to live your life as normally
as possible, with each day that you have." After PAMF breast surgeon Runi Chattopadhyay removed Tay's tumor, Dr. Kushlan once again created a treatment plan, and radiation oncologist Gordon Ray—along with his staff—guided Tay through a series of radiation sessions.
"When you are faced with cancer, your life takes a path you haven't chosen and you don't want your illness to take over your family," Tay said. "I needed my faith, my family, my friends and my doctors to travel that road. I have had countless people helping me to carry the burden of cancer. It has been an uplifting and gratifying experience to be cared for so well over so many years."
"We help our cancer patients get through their experience and live life to the fullest, whatever that life may be," Dr. Kushlan said. "I stand in awe of these women who pass through each phase of cancer and resume their lives. It is a great tribute to their strength."
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Gladys Javier-Kirkland
Gladys Javier-Kirkland was doing her laundry when the call came in February 2007 confirming that her recent biopsy revealed a breast tumor. Dr. Seth Strichartz, a cancer surgeon at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation's (PAMF) Mountain View Center, wanted to schedule surgery for the following week, but Gladys had a compelling reason to wait. "My dad was dying of advanced bone cancer," she said. "I wanted to say goodbye to him, and I needed some time to come to terms with the fact that I now had cancer, too."
In April 2007, Gladys had a lumpectomy. "I thought I'd rather die than have to deal with cancer," Gladys said, "but the people who cared for me were like angels walking on earth. They talked me through my fears and
guided me every step of the way."
Gladys began chemotherapy in May under the care of Dr. Peter Yu, her oncologist at PAMF's Mountain View Center. A few weeks later, she flew to Puerto Rico to say a final farewell to her father. "It was very tough for him at the end," Gladys recalled. "His cancer went from his colon to his liver to his bones." Gladys' father passed away in June. Her mother, who lives in New York, is currently in remission from uterine cancer.
For more than 20 years, Gladys has worked at a hotel on the Peninsula while being a single mother to her daughter Stephanie, who is now 22. When Gladys received her diagnosis, Stephanie took a break from
her university studies to stay home to take care of her mom. In August 2007, Gladys finished a difficult series of chemotherapy sessions—all but one at the PAMF Mountain View Center's Cancer Care Clinic—and she had her last radiation treatment just before Christmas. Today, with her breast cancer in remission for more than two years, Gladys continues to have follow-up visits, often arriving with a batch of fresh-baked cookies for the staff. "I hope these people stay around for a very long time to help other patients," Gladys said. "I got so much positive energy from all of them. I just love them with all my heart."
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Lucy Velarde
Lucy Velarde assumed she didn't need a mammogram until after her 40th birthday, so when she noticed a lump on her breast in spring 2007 at the age of 36, she didn't pay much attention. Within a few weeks, however, the lump became sore and she developed a fever, so she scheduled an appointment with Dr. Amanda Chen, her primary care physician at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation's (PAMF) Mountain View Center. Lucy was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a single mastectomy in August 2007, followed by chemotherapy and radiation under the care of her PAMF oncologist, Irene Wu. Lucy had enormous support from her family throughout her experience, among them her 11-year-old daughter. "I've been very open with my daughter about my cancer," Lucy said. "I told her that just because Mommy has cancer doesn't mean she'll get it. I tell her to pay attention to her body and her health, because if you do ever get cancer, early detection increases the chance that you'll be cured."
Since her diagnosis, Lucy has participated twice in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life to help raise money for breast cancer programs and research.
"I never thought this could happen to me at such a young age," she said. "My experience taught me that cancer can happen to anyone at any time. People need to support the search for a cure. If we don't do this
together, it won't happen."
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McClenahan Family
The McClenahan family rallied around their mother, Kathy, when she was first diagnosed with breast cancer and had a single mastectomy in 1995. After chemotherapy and radiation under the care of Dr. James Heckmann, an oncologist at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation's (PAMF) Mountain View Center, Kathy was declared cancer free, and she was prescribed a five-year regimen of tamoxifen. But within nine months of ending tamoxifen therapy, new tumors had emerged, and further treatment could not stem the progression of her cancer.
"In November 2007, Dr. Heckmann told me that my wife had less than six months to live," Kathy's husband Tim recalled. "We didn't want the news to spoil Kathy's last Christmas, so we waited until after the holidays to tell our four children." Even though Kathy had lost the use of her right arm in 2005 and the cancer had spread to her brain stem by 2007, she maintained her "Yes I Can" spirit. On February 2, 2008, Kathy passed away with her family at her side. "She fought right up to the end," Tim said. "She was so strong, and being with her through her cancer made our family even stronger."
Before Kathy died, she and Tim made a gift to name Dr. Heckmann's office at PAMF's Mountain View Center. On the first anniversary of their mother's death, the four McClenahan children came together to establish the Kathleen Ann McClenahan (KAM) Foundation, which helps to fund cancer care services for PAMF patients. "Our tribute to Kathy's 13-year battle with cancer is to help others who are fighting this disease," said Tim. "We always hope that a cure is around the corner, but until that day, this is our way of expressing our support."
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Cancer Care Program at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation
Early detection of breast cancer has always been a major focus of the Cancer Care Program at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF). The Radiology Department at PAMF Santa Cruz is home to the first digital mammography facility in Santa Cruz County. Now, PAMF Santa Cruz has plans to establish a comprehensive Breast Cancer Diagnosis Center. An essential component of this new center will be a stereotactic breast biopsy system, which uses computer-guided imagery for precise positioning of a biopsy needle. Stereotactic biopsy is performed on an outpatient basis and provides highly accurate breast cancer diagnosis with minimal scarring.
"Stereotactic breast biopsy plays a major role in the detection of early breast cancer," PAMF Santa Cruz breast cancer surgeon David Rose said. "When you can detect this type of cancer early, it is more easily treatable and has a higher cure rate." A campaign is currently underway to invite donors to make gifts to fund the purchase of this new equipment. "Stereotactic biopsy is an integral part of breast cancer diagnosis," Dr. Rose said. "Once we acquire this machine, we will be able to offer our patients the convenience of breast diagnostic services at a single location."
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