Breast cancer survivor advocates for the importance of routine health screenings
Like many others, Jaimie Hutchison had put off her mammogram during the COVID-19 pandemic. Routine health screenings, including cancer screenings, saw a significant drop during this time due to stay-at-home orders and other disruptions caused by the pandemic, leaving a gap in early detection of cancer.
“I had just been promoted at my job and had been feeling very tired, brushing it off as pandemic fatigue, but I knew I had to get back to scheduling and getting my health screenings that I was behind on,” said Hutchison. “It had been about two years since I had my last mammogram, so that was one of the first screenings I received.”
Hutchison was diagnosed shortly after her mammogram with HER2-positive breast cancer in May 2022. Soon after, she met with Dr. Daniel Isaac for her cancer treatment. Dr. Isaac is a hematologist and medical oncologist at Karmanos Cancer Institute at McLaren Greater Lansing, and a Breast Cancer Multidisciplinary Team member through the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute.
“I ended up having to undergo a lumpectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy,” said Hutchison.
Hutchison is the director of the Michigan State University WorkLife Office, and she used her skills and career background to find additional resources she could utilize while receiving her treatment and continuing to work. Hutchison stated that the support she received not only from her work, but also from her family and friends, as well as Karmanos staff, helped her through a very stressful time.
“It was a very long and taxing journey, but I had a big network, including my family, along with Dr. Isaac and the staff that helped me navigate through it all,” said Hutchison.
On May 31, 2023, Hutchison celebrated her last infusion treatment. She is back to working full-time and focusing on building up her strength.
“I just got to my one-year mark since my treatment started, and I am now cancer-free, so I am very fortunate,” said Hutchison. “I’ve been able to get back to working out and building my stamina back.” Hutchison uses her experience as an opportunity to stress to others to take care of themselves and their health, and that includes getting routine health screenings.
“Without our health, we cannot be good at anything else that we do,” said Hutchison. “I encourage everyone to get their annual screenings done because early detection is so important.”
As Hutchison continues her health journey, she also volunteers as a Girl Scout leader and said she’s looking forward to spending this summer doing water activities, taking trips to northern Michigan with her family, and getting back to reengaging in the things that she loves to do, now that she is cancer-free.
For more information on cancer screenings at Karmanos Cancer Institute at McLaren Greater Lansing, click here.
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