Highlighting survivors: Cheri Minemyer

Just like millions around the world, Cheri Minemyer knows first hand the emotions of being told she has breast cancer.

Minemyer is now 6 1/2 years into remission and cancer free. Though it is a relief, she said her fight was that of inner strength and love from close family and friends, especially that of husband Calvin who saw her through it all.

“I noticed something wasn’t quite right, there was also a pain that I couldn’t understand. So I went to the doctor to get checked,” said Minemyer.

Because of the type of pain she was experiencing along with the location she wasn’t able to get a traditional mammogram. The doctor instead opted for a standard physical exam to see if they were able to diagnose the pain Minemyer was feeling.

With the pain and the eerie feeling of not knowing what was happening with her body, Minemyer persisted in asking the doctor to look further.

“I’ll say it was a little confusing in that I thought a mammogram was a mammogram, but I ended up having a physical exam. The doctor decided that after the physical because he couldn’t get the result he was looking for, he ordered me to go for the mammogram,” said Minemyer.

From there on she had a specialized mammogram which showed a small lump that was very apparent in the results.

“After they found the lump it was worrying, but I still needed a biopsy. So I tried not to worry until I heard back from that,” said Minemyer.

For Minemyer, all this happened in and around Christmas. She even says that the timeline for more detail is a little hazy. Not because of any one thing, but it is a combination of the holiday season, also the check-ups and biopsy all in a short matter of time.

“I remember it was two days after Christmas and I got the call from the doctors saying I had breast cancer. I can’t really remember who I called first, but I remember that I just needed to go home, meet my husband and get to the doctors,” said Minemyer.

“It didn’t really register or click in my mind at the time,” explained Minemyer.

That same week after meeting with her doctor she began treatment in Kalispell. Like every other person who has been diagnosed, the treatments can differ from person to person and type of cancer. For Minemyer, she opted to have a double mastectomy.

“I just wanted to take care of it all, all at once,” said Minemyer.

From the diagnosis to the surgery it all happened in a matter of weeks. By the end of January, Minemyer had surgery and was recovering before further treatment began.

Though the surgery was successful for removing the cancer, the recovery proved to be long and hard as the healing of the incisions was taking longer than anticipated.

Breast reconstruction has become standard care, with more than 106,000 reconstructive procedures done in the last year. This is a 35 percent increase since 2000, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

While it is not known exactly what percentage of women opt for breast reconstruction after a mastectomy, one study found that in 2011, 63 percent of women who were candidates for the procedure chose to have it. In some parts of the United States, the number is closer to 80 percent.

“The reconstruction would have had to been the hardest part,” said Minemyer.

Having not been fully recovered, she still began chemo treatment in March. With all that was happening, she said it was the support and love from her family that got her through.

“I didn’t ever really cry, I’m not entirely even sure why, but I guess I had a great mind set that really helped,” said Minemyer.

She said a great support system was key to her recovery, family, friends and all in between helped in ways they don’t really understand.

“The Cancer Network of Sanders County were very helpful. It was easy to sign up to be a part of what they do. I just can’t thank people enough for donations to the organization. It truly goes a lot further than they think,” said Minemyer.

Minemyer extended her thought to explain that it was pivotal and a true help to have the gift from the local organization. From helping with bills, to gas money that they could use between appointments, the financial ease for the unexpected was something she said was a load off.

It was a long year for Minemyer to have experienced so much. Though when she looks back she said she wouldn’t have changed her decisions on her treatment.

“I did what was best for me,” she said.

Minemyer stresses the importance for both men and women to self check. Also she encourages those that can, when they can donate to local charitable foundations as from those that donated, the money she received was directly from caring residents within the county.

“It is a relief to be cancer free, though there is a small chance of me getting the same cancer in future. Though the silver lining is I can’t get any other, so after I went through breast cancer I encourage anyone to not put off your annual mammogram,” said Minemyer.