By JEFF BUDLONG

The C word. Everyone’s worst fear.

This is a very personal story that has taken a lot of thought to publicly share. Since the month of October is breast cancer awareness, I wanted to share my experience and I hope all who read this can identify with the struggle we all have when we get diagnoses with the C word. It is mind over matter!

It might as well be a foreign language because no matter how the words “you have cancer” are shared it never truly registers in the moment.

So it was for Julie Mansfield Smith in December of 2022 when the former colon cancer survivor was told a different cancer was detected during a routine mammogram. To say it was a surprise was an understatement. Smith said breast cancer was not something that ran in her family, and she routinely conducted self-checks.

“I just never thought twice that it would happen to me,” she said, “but it is because of the superb mammography department at Blue Mountain Hospital in John Day that they detected a very small, suspicious spot. This is my story so I hope it helps other in the same situation”

The dreaded news arrived just before Christmas and hit her hard, but one of the few good things was that it was caught early in Stage 1. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Smith reminds women to get their regular mammograms and consider genetic testing to learn more about their family health histories and what cancers they are more susceptible to.

First bout with cancer

Smith beat colon cancer in 2009 combining chemotherapy with her determination to will herself back to full health. She went to chemo appointments in camouflage carrying her hunting knife. “I wanted to kill cancer with my mind,” she said. “I had the basic cancer symptoms where I lost weight and withdrew and you are emotionally inept to swallow what could or couldn’t happen. I drew up a will and you thank God you are still here.

“That episode when I was 48 changed my life because it made me more humble, kinder and I realize I wanted to pay it forward more. People came out of the woodwork to support me and rally around me.”

Smith emerged colon cancer free having “kicked its ass.” She praises Blue Mountain Hospital for the care she received.

“I am an advocate for all of the care they give,” Smith said. “The doctors, surgeons and staff do a fine job. I would recommend them to anyone.”

Another fight

Smith’s new fight with breast cancer brought a different challenge that saw her deal with depression and withdraw from most people.

“Your life flashes before your eyes,” she said. “I thought about my two daughters Tiffany, 40, Laramie, 38, and my four granddaughters, Hannah, 19, Logan, 15, Ella, 9 and Izzy, 7 and my sister and nieces. Knowing they all could inherit it or have it from the food chain was scary.

“This was totally opposite of the other cancer I had because I was older at 60 and I was again scared of the C word.”

Dr. Christina Fitzmaurice, an oncologist with the St. Charles Cancer Center in Bend, worked with Smith to prepare her before and after her surgery. The professional and caring nature has stayed with Smith to this day.

“Patients visit with several doctors and when I work with them, depending on the stage of their cancer, we talk about the process and the recovery,” Fitzmaurice said.

Smith admitted that she was mentally and physically withdrawn; didn’t want to talk to others outside of her brother, Rick and husband, Brad.

She also did not have an escape in her business selling land through Mossy Oak Cupper Creek Land Company. For the first time in 30 years, Smith had to not try to procure listings or new clients to show property to, knowing she could not work as usual in her condition for the coming year.

“I didn’t want people to feel sorry for me, and I did not professionally announce I had cancer” she said. “People have pity in their eyes and they did that with me when I had colon cancer and I did not want that with breast cancer.

“I guess if there was ever a year I could pick to have cancer that is the year because we were just coming out of the pandemic, interest rates rose, the political climate was uncertain and not a lot of owners were selling their land.”

It was hard for her to see other brokers near her get what little land that was up for sale. Someone who has been a go-getter for so long retreated.

It hurt when people asked if she was still selling because she was unsure she would be able to do the job while fighting cancer with the nasty side effects that come with it.

Smith said she was connected with cancer counselors when she finally asked for referrals and it worked. She did not know who to talk to because she did not know any breast cancer survivors.

Cancer is cruel because the person fighting also battles the want for privacy with the need for companionship.

“People say that they heard that you had cancer but they don’t want to bother you,” she said.

“That was probably the most twist-the-knife-response I got from anyone.

“We all do that and a lot of times I would say don’t bother me, but inside it was please bother me. It is the conflict inside you trying to control your decision making.”

Eventually, Smith took stock and decided she would do radiation but would not endure chemotherapy again. Surgery was required to remove the cancer and 24 lymph nodes from her armpit to try to ensure the cancer would not return. And it didn’t.

Despite isolating herself, Smith said the book “The Secret,” given to her by her brother, helped immensely during this time. It reinforced her belief that a strong mind can help overcome anything.

“A whole year was taken from me because I wasn’t OK with this happening to me and I was mad,” she said. “It was a hard decision to retreat into silence and say nothing because not only did I not know how this would turn out, but I was losing my identity as a real estate broker.”

Importance of a mammogram

Smith was impressed with Danielle Hunt, who is a mammography technician at Blue Mountain Hospital in John Day. She shared the importance of getting a mammogram yearly is to see the small changes especially in dense to extremely dense breast tissue.

“If a patient comes only every three to five years it is harder to distinguish these small changes which in turn means the patient will have to return for more imaging,” Hunt said.

Blue Mountain Hospital provides 3D mammography with screening, diagnostics and ultrasound guided breast biopsies. For Hunt, it is more than just the technology available. It is about every person that walks through the door.

“I take great pride and care in every patient that comes through my doors,” she said. “I treat them as though I was taking care of my mom or grandma. Every patient I see I try to make the feel important and not just being ran through our establishment like cattle.

“I try to let patients know what I am doing at all times, explaining things to them so they understand and try to make them feel as comfortable as possible. No woman likes coming in for a mammogram. Trying to make them feel as comfortable as possible and letting them know I am there because I care means the world to them.”

Changed perspective

Smith’s brushes with cancer led her to believe that the food chain plays a role. Her family now grows and cans their own produce, raises and feeds its own natural beef, pork and chickens.

“I feel healthier knowing where my food comes from,” she said.

Smith beat back cancer – and a knee replacement — having dealt with the vanity that comes with the fight.

“Your body changes, wrinkles deepen, skin changes come with radiation treatments and the realization that you are not as youthful as you used to be hits,” she said. “But beauty comes from the inside out.”

Smith received her radiation treatments in Bend and credits that time for helping her crawl out of her own despair with the help of counseling.

“I still talk to my cancer counselor today and will continue because it gives me a sense of being empowered,” Smith said. “Everything changes, your life, your mind, it all changes. Through the process I learned that I am a lot stronger than I think, and a lot more people care about me than I knew. I like to pay things forward, so I hope sharing this helps at least one person then its worth it.

“I sleep really well at night and I feel really confident because I feel that I got my old self back. There is always a rainbow after the rain.”