Breast Cancer: Vaughn Grace's Survival Story

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Michael Andriacco
  • 2d Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  On Aug. 31, 2001, Vaughn Grace's life was changed forever when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Mrs. Grace, the wife of 2d Medical Group Commander Col. Thomas Grace, was at a medical clinic receiving a standard employment physical for a new job when her doctor noticed she hadn't had her annual physical in some time. Later, during the physical examination, the doctor noted a lump the size of a small ball bearing. The lump turned out to be a very aggressive tumor which doubled in size within ten days.

"I was very lucky to be changing jobs at the time," Mrs. Grace said. "There was an individual that made working at my previous job so miserable that I quit, and it ended up saving my life. I sent him a thank you card."

Because she had a medical history of developing fibroid tumors, Mrs. Grace at first wasn't concerned about the lump, believing it to be another. From there, things moved quickly for her. She had a mammogram, then a sonogram. There was enough concern that the hospital staff got her an appointment with an oncologist the next day where she received a fine-needle biopsy and was immediately scheduled for surgery.

"It was supposed to be a simple procedure," she said. "It was going to take 45 minutes, they would remove the growth, and there was a 98 percent chance that was it. I wouldn't have to worry about it coming back and likely wouldn't need chemotherapy."

The simple, 45-minute procedure turned into a four-and-a-half hour major operation when nine out of 13 lymph nodes showed positive for cancer. The tiny tumor had spread. After recovering from the initial surgery, Mrs. Grace then had a mastectomy and began chemotherapy.

Mrs. Grace credits her recovery with the support she received from friends, family and her new co-workers as well as a strong desire to not let the cancer win.

"I felt that the less ground I surrendered to the disease, the stronger I was," she said.

Several members of her family have died from different forms of cancer, and her uncle had breast cancer, though he survived. It's important to remember that the disease is not limited to women, she said.

As with any medical condition, research and information are key to understanding current treatment options, as medical advances happen every day.

"Ask your doctor questions," said Mrs. Grace. "The only stupid question is, 'Why didn't I ask that?'"

Though she has been moved from the list of patients in remission to the cured list, she is guardedly optimistic.

"Don't think that being on the cured list means you can just walk away clean," Mrs. Grace warns. "Keep on top of it."