Jessica Datta
In Days, Not Weeks, I Could Start Treatment.
I was alone, on vacation, in a remote town in India, when I found a lump in my left breast. I thought “I am too young to have breast cancer”, and tried not to worry. So when my first biopsy came back positive for cancer I completely flipped out. I was so far from the support of my family all I could do was try to focus on how I was going to relax and get through this.
As soon as I was home my doctor recommended the Saint Agnes Breast Center. I drove from Virginia to Baltimore every day and the quality of medicine at Saint Agnes was well worth it. One of the first steps was to meet with my multidisciplinary team. In a single day at Saint Agnes I met my entire team of doctors. Instead of going all over town, my team came to me, explaining their roles and plans for my treatment. This allowed them to speed up starting my treatment, which not only had physical benefits, but also was encouraging emotionally. I did not have to wait around becoming more and more anxious. The Saint Agnes staff gave me a sense of control and comfort. Knowing I had an entire team supporting me helped me face breast cancer. From that first day at Saint Agnes and throughout my treatment, my team knew what I needed, both mentally and physically.
