1 Mother, 2 Daughters, 3 Breast Cancer Survivors

Frances Jordan is 101 years old. Her daughters Marcia Norman and Marlene Sweet are 74 and 69 years old, respectively. Each is a recent breast cancer survivor.

Over a four-month period at the end of 2022, the sisters underwent double mastectomies while their mother had a mastectomy of her right breast.

Now cancer-free, the family is urging others to take preventive steps to protect themselves from the disease – doing self-exams, getting screened, and advocating for yourself when something feels off.

“If women think something’s wrong – even if the mammogram says it’s good – they should talk to their doctor and push for an ultrasound,” Sweet said.

“And find a doctor who will listen like Dr. Grayson and Dr. Deitsch did.”

Sweet was first diagnosed with cancer in 2007 when a mass was found in her right breast during a mammogram. She asked to have both breasts removed, but her provider at the time – who worked for a health system other than Reid – recommended a less invasive course of treatment. Sweet had a lumpectomy, had lymph nodes removed, underwent radiation, and had hormone therapy.

Four years later, a mass was found in her left breast. That led to another lumpectomy, more lymph nodes being removed, a hysterectomy, radiation, and chemotherapy.

“For all those years, I was constantly worried about any pain I felt, any lump I felt, anything different. I was constantly asking to have my breasts taken off,” Sweet said.

In 2021, she stopped taking her medication, believing she was finally cancer-free.

A year later, as Jordan neared her 100th birthday, she received her own cancer diagnosis. One breast had been getting smaller than the other, something she initially dismissed as a side effect of her age.

“And then come to find out, I had a large lump in there,” she said.

“Which she hid from us,” Norman interjected.

“Thinking about my age, I didn’t know if I wanted to go through with what I would have to go through. I just kind of hid it and forgot about it,” Jordan said.

Jordan had stopped getting mammograms in her 80s. “Who would think she would live to be over a hundred?” Sweet said.

Andrew Deitsch, MD, of Reid Pediatric & Internal Medicine determined Jordan’s shrinking breast was the result of cancer. He referred her to Thomas Grayson, MD, of Reid’s General Surgeons.

“I was so worried because of her age Dr. Grayson wouldn’t want to do the surgery,” Sweet said.

But there was no need for concern. Dr. Deitsch had already spoken to Dr. Grayson on Jordan’s behalf.

“Dr. Grayson and Dr. Deitsch and all their staff were so good to have faith in Mom and to do everything they could to help her,” Sweet said.

Jordan had her mastectomy in September. Two months later, it was Norman’s turn.

A regular mammogram in October showed a discrepancy in the results. Norman then had a second mammogram and an ultrasound that led to her breast cancer diagnosis. Although her cancer was only in Stage 1, given her family history with the disease, she was a good candidate for a double mastectomy. Her procedure was done in November.

“It was a whirlwind. I went from my mammogram on a Wednesday, on Thursday I met with Dr. Grayson, on Monday he scheduled my surgery,” Norman said. “I hadn’t even told anybody because I couldn’t get it through my head.”

Norman’s diagnosis prompted Sweet to have a mammogram of her own. A mass was found, but a biopsy determined it wasn’t cancerous. The news actually was somewhat disappointing to Sweet.

“I had been fighting to get both my breasts off. Dr. Grayson said I was the only patient he’d ever had that when he said, ‘You don’t have cancer,’ I hung my head and said, ‘I know,’” she said. “I was so close to getting done what I really felt I needed.

“But he fought for me to get approval to have both my breasts taken off.”

The family praised the treatment they received from their Reid Health care teams.

“I have seen pictures of women with mastectomies – and I know every case is different – but Dr. Grayson’s closure technique was so good for us,” Sweet said.

“If you’re not comfortable with the doctor you have, find one you are comfortable with and who will listen to you. Dr. Grayson, Dr. Deitsch, and their staffs were amazing with us.”

To schedule a screening mammogram, contact the Reid Health Breast Center at (765) 983-3358. Reid offers state-of-the-art 3D mammograms that are proven to better detect breast cancer.