Editor's Note: This report is part of the News Bulletin's ongoing series on cancer-research fundraisers. The newspaper is proud to support Relay For Life Crestview, which will take place 6 p.m. April 25 at Shoal River Middle School.
CRESTVIEW — When Nancy Snyder was diagnosed with cancer at age 19, she was ready for it.
"My mother had so many surgeries for cancer that I guess I took it as a part of life," she said. "With a simple procedure, the cancer was removed and, quite frankly, I never gave it much of a thought after that."
The second time was a bit different.
Nancy was receiving a routine mammogram in 1999 when a lump was discovered on her left breast. A follow-up biopsy revealed stage one cancer. Cancer has four stages; higher numbers indicate how much the disease has spread, according to the American Cancer Society website.
'Bald is beautiful'
A lumpectomy followed Nancy's biopsy results. The surgery involves removing cancer and abnormal tissue from the breast, and differs from a mastectomy, which removes the whole breast, according to the Mayo Clinic.
"Sixteen lymph nodes were removed and all margins were clear; however, the surgeon and I decided to be aggressive," Nancy said. "I had six chemotherapy treatments and seven-and-half weeks of radiation.
"Bald is definitely beautiful. My son-in-law told my daughter that I looked like Uncle Fester from 'The Addams Family.'"
Full story in the April 9-11 edition!
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: COVER STORY: Couple's experience, loss with cancer drive them to help others