JACKSONVILLE, Fla — Joy Doyle didn't have any pain or lumps. She had no obvious signs of breast cancer.
She, like nearly half of all women age 40 and older who get mammograms, had dense breasts. Not only is it a risk factor, but dense breasts can make it harder to see cancer on mammograms.
“I had my annual mammogram at Mayo. They said, clear as a bug, but you have a chance, an opportunity to have an MRI because you're 55, and you do have breast cancer in your family, even though you don't have a BRCA gene in your family,” Doyle recalled. “And I said, let's do it.”
Her grandmother died of breast cancer, and her mother was first diagnosed at the same age as Joy, 55, and had a double mastectomy.
“At 72 she was re-diagnosed, she had a rash in her incision, we went to Mayo, and she was Stage 4 and given two years to live,” Doyle said.
The day after Joy celebrated her 36th wedding anniversary, this past March, she had a biopsy out of an abundance of caution because of what doctors saw on her MRI.
“And then the call. The call was you have cancer,” Doyle said. “It’s malignant.”
The biopsy revealed Joy had Stage 1 breast cancer.
“For years, I've said, when that time came, if it ever did, I would have a double mastectomy. I would not spend the rest of my life anxious about breast cancer.”
Within a matter of weeks, she underwent surgery.
“From my faith perspective, the body of my church at Eleven22 gathered around and prayed over me the night before I had surgery. And I believe they've carried me,” Doyle said.
The cancer had not spread, so did not need chemo or radiation. Dr. Hollie Hickman with Ponte Vedra Plastic Surgery did the reconstruction surgery the same day as the mastectomy.
She was able to save Joy's nipples, something she says not all doctors do.
“I would say, make sure you're comfortable with your surgeon and make sure you ask about your nipple,” Dr. Hickman said. “If you're told no, you can't keep your nipple, then I would ask for a very good reason why. And if it's not because it involves your nipple or because your breast is too long, then you should seek a second opinion.”
Joy is grateful for her doctors and her faith. She credits her family and friends with loving her through this journey. Now seven months post-diagnosis she has good news to share. Because Joy caught her cancer early, her prognosis is fantastic.
“That’s why early detection matters,” Doyle said.
Her advice for her daughters, granddaughters, and all women, listen to your body.
“Really spend time thinking do I feel like me? Because I can look back and tell you, I didn't really feel like me for a couple of months. I couldn't put my finger on it. It wasn't obvious. But I was not shocked.”
She’s now using her experience to remind women to do their monthly breast self-exam, get an annual mammogram, and be proactive.
”I'm cancer free. And it's such a gift, and I want to give back,” Doyle said. “It's hard because I'd love to package it up and tell no one about it, and move along, but I believe it can be used for good, and so I'm willing to tell the story.”
As for Joy's mom who was told she had just two years to live, that was eight years ago. Her mom just celebrated her 80th birthday.
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