Banner Well being nurse shares story of early detection for breast most cancers

October is breast most cancers consciousness month, and as a part of the month, a neighborhood well being skilled is sharing her story of how self-detection helped save her life. Erin Gronenthal, a household nurse practitioner for Banner Well being in Larimer County, credit her life as we speak to early detection. 

Gronenthal first observed one thing was off in February of 2020.  

“I used to be sitting in mattress with my husband and I had some breast itching. I went to scratch it and felt a lump,” Gronenthal stated.  

She went to work the subsequent day at Banner Well being and mentioned what she had discovered with a few of her colleagues. She was ordered to obtain a mammogram and ultrasound to see if her suspicions had been correct.  

“What detected the most cancers was an ultrasound,” Gronenthal stated. “I used to be recognized with stage two triple damaging breast most cancers. I used to be in shock. By no means in one million years did I feel I’d be the one being recognized with breast most cancers.” 

Gronenthal stated she was grateful that her medical doctors, who occurred to additionally work for her employer, had been fast to reply and place her into remedy.  

Oncologists at Banner MD Anderson Most cancers Middle at Banner Gateway Medical Middle handled her. She underwent months of chemotherapy, a mastectomy and a hysterectomy in addition to radiation and oral chemotherapy.  

Whereas the method was taxing, Gronenthal stated she was grateful to nonetheless be alive.  

“They advised me if I waited to age 40, I used to be 37 on the time, I would not be right here to inform my story,” Gronenthal stated “That’s robust, particularly having a few youngsters at residence. It’s robust to consider. I contemplate myself fortunate that I used to be in a position to end remedy and may say I’m most cancers free now. That offers me pleasure and hope for the longer term.” 

Because of a buddy most of the workers members at Banner Well being now put on shirts that constantly remind Gronenthal of the help she has inside her workplace.  

By sharing her story of early detection, and the significance of evaluations earlier than the age of 40, Gronenthal stated she hoped to encourage different ladies and men to pay attention to the specter of breast most cancers.  

“If I can save only one particular person from a later stage breast most cancers, that will be my dream,” Gronenthal stated.