HOUGHTON LAKE – When Debbie Maurer, M.S.N., F.N.P.-B.C., lost her mother-in-law to breast cancer, she was understandably saddened as was her entire family. As a nursing professional, she encouraged her patients to schedule regular mammograms and promoted screenings, using her own personal experience with her family to highlight the importance of early detection. She never imagined that five years to the day after her mother-in-law’s diagnosis, she would receive her own: stage three triple positive breast cancer.
Maurer had no family history or red flags that prompted her screening. In fact, she had had many protective factors; she is a non-smoker, had children before age 30, spent 48 months breastfeeding and had no genetic mutations. She was relatively young, healthy and maintained annual screenings so she was surprised to receive the diagnosis.
Statistics show that one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. “I definitely did not think I would be the one in eight,” Maurer said. “When someone who is fairly young and healthy is diagnosed with the disease, it makes you realize that breast cancer CAN happen to you. I know my diagnosis has made many of my friends, family and acquaintances reach out to get their mammograms, and I’m glad about that because early detection is key to survival.”
Maurer was grateful to have access to excellent, well-coordinated cancer care. Her ultrasounds were performed at MyMichigan Health Park – Houghton Lake, and she had biopsies at MyMichigan Medical Center Midland by Lindsay M. Zeeb, M.D. A course of chemotherapy and surgery would be Maurer’s best treatment option, followed by radiation and immunotherapy. Breast Health Nurse Navigator Erin Landon, R.N., C.N.-B.N., at the Center for Women’s Health on the campus of MyMichigan Medical Center Midland, helped Maurer coordinate appointments, offered support and connected her with additional services.
“I had chemo from January through June of 2022 then a double mastectomy in July 2022,” Maurer explained, “I completed radiation in September last year then began Kadcyla (a targeted immunotherapy drug) and hormone blockers in October. It was certainly a lot, but I had tremendous support from my care team, family, friends, and work colleagues. On a spiritual level, it was hard to reconcile how God could put my husband through losing his mother to breast cancer and then having his wife diagnosed the very next year. I was fearful that my husband could potentially lose us both.”
Maurer received occupational therapy in the early months of 2023 and was able to return to work in March. She completed immunotherapy in August but will be taking hormone blockers and aromatase inhibitors for ten years to help protect from recurrence. Maurer firmly believes that education and awareness are cornerstones to helping women diagnosed with breast cancer achieve positive outcomes.
“The care team did their very best to equip me with the tools I needed on this journey,” said Maurer. “Having breast cancer can feel very lonely, and I can still feel overwhelmed at times. However, the surgical office supplied me with a clinical manual loaded with information so I could be educated and prepared for what might be next. My navigator Erin was always kind and used positive wording . Even Dorothy Frederick who performed my mammograms was wonderful, gentle and calming; I praise her to all my patients when I encourage them to get screened.”
In addition to leaning on her care team, Maurer is taking extra steps to ensure her mental and emotional wellbeing. She attended the Casting for Recovery retreat, a weekend in nature that includes counseling, camaraderie and fly fishing to women in all stages of their breast cancer journey. Her youngest son, 10, participated in Camp Kesem for the second year in a row this summer. The program provides a week of overnight camp with counseling and support for children aged 6 to 18 years who have a parent who has been afflicted with cancer. This October, during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Maurer will be picking up used chairs to paint pink, attach mammography information in a flyer to them and place them around area businesses to raise awareness for early detection. She also plans to attend Sisters Hope, a wellness retreat for breast cancer survivors, in November.
“I would like to do anything and everything I can to help raise awareness on the importance of regular mammograms,” Maurer said. “I believe hearing personal stories can be a huge motivating factor, that’s why I’m sharing my story here.
Those interested in learning more about MyMichigan Health’s comprehensive breast health care program may visit mymichigan.org/breasthealth.
