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The roots Sandy Kaecher has built in Paulding run deep.

When she moved to Dallas, Georgia over a decade ago, Sandy wanted to make a real difference in her adopted hometown. From countless hours of volunteering to serving on the county commission, she has been a pillar in the community from the beginning.

In 2014, she even attended Wellstar Paulding Hospital’s groundbreaking ceremony, eager for the area to have easy access to world-class healthcare. However, she never expected to battle breast cancer at the same facility years later.

During her fight, Sandy partnered with an entire team of cancer experts, right here in her beloved community. She also found comfort and strength in a new bond with Wellstar Nurse Navigator Kellie Mitchell, who was by Sandy’s side through her toughest moments.

Every step of her cancer journey, Sandy got unending support from Wellstar — and even a true, lasting friendship, too.

Catching cancer early

In 2018, while Sandy was gearing up to run in the local election as the first female Paulding County Commissioner, she wasn’t aware that her body was already fighting a battle of its own.

Sandy noticed dimpling on one of her breasts, and knew something wasn’t right.

The distinctive dimpling that Sandy experienced is one warning sign women can watch for between their annual mammograms. During a breast self-exam, women can use their eyes and hands to inspect their breasts for new or concerning changes.

Abnormalities may include a new lump, swelling or thickening of the tissue, red or flaky skin, pulling in or pain in the nipple area and change in size or shape of the breasts.

Breast self-exams are an important way women can stay in tune with their bodies. However, at-home checks are not a substitute for getting a mammogram done by an imaging expert. These screenings are crucial to catch what the naked eye can’t see and detect health issues, such as breast cancer, in its early stages.

That’s why Sandy brought her concerns to her primary care physician right away.

It wasn’t long before she was connected with the cancer team at Wellstar Paulding Hospital. There, she received a follow-up mammogram and ultrasound to discover what was the underlying cause of the dimpling.

The advanced imaging technology flagged abnormal results. Her care team got an even better picture of what was going on inside her body after a biopsy.

The results were clear: Sandy was dealing with a complex case of breast cancer. Based on the high-tech images, the cancer had woven in and out of the breast tissue, making it more complicated to treat.

With her expert Wellstar cancer team ready to battle beside her, Sandy summoned her fiery spirit and prepared for the fight.

When Ebony-Joy Igbinoba was diagnosed with bilateral breast cancer at age 38, an interdisciplinary team of Wellstar experts stood by her side to help her face cancer with confidence.

Now she is living cancer-free, with a Wellstar care team dedicated to keeping her healthy.

Ebony-Joy started to feel ill at a church concert in spring 2019. She checked in with her primary care provider Dr. Nandini Sunkireddy, who told her that due to the anatomy of her breasts, a mammogram would give a more accurate picture of her health than a traditional exam. 

Once Ebony-Joy had gotten her mammogram, Wellstar acted quickly, calling her the same day to get additional images and then a biopsy. Ebony-Joy was diagnosed with bilateral breast cancer — cancer in both breasts, which is rare, especially at her younger age.

Ebony-Joy decided to get a double mastectomy with Wellstar Breast Surgeon Dr. Laura Pearson. Then, she got chemotherapy at Wellstar North Fulton Hospital. At every step, she found a support system, including oncologists Dr. Carlos Osmon and Dr. Nagender Mankan, as well as Physician Assistant Kristen Gue. Dr. Pearson and Dr. Asaf Yalif completed her reconstruction.

Ebony-Joy said her providers are proactive, friendly and approachable. 

“I trust them with my life, and they’re fighting with me,” she said. “They’re rooting for me.”

Ebony-Joy’s care team looked out for every aspect of her well-being — even as she was being treated for breast cancer, her providers paid attention to all her health needs. She saw Dr. Kevin Stein, a Wellstar psychologist, who helped her cope with the diagnosis. 

Gynecologic Oncologist Dr. Evelyn Reynolds discovered on a CT scan that Ebony-Joy has benign uterine cysts, so she sees Dr. Reynolds for monitoring. To watch for any side effects of cancer treatment on her heart, Ebony-Joy sees Cardiologist Dr. Natasha Mamdani. Wellstar Gastroenterologist Dr. Inder Tandon and Wellstar Pulmonologist Dr. Nora Hurt also joined her care team to monitor her health.

“God has blessed me with Wellstar doctors, nurses and staff that are truly dedicated to top-notch comprehensive care,” Ebony-Joy said. “They are my superheroes.”

Ebony-Joy’s care team also knew that her diagnosis did not just affect her — they were concerned for her family’s well-being, too. Her nurse navigators referred her to resources about how to talk to children when their parent has cancer, as well as support groups and financial assistance.

“As a single mother, they knew how important it was for me to fight for my kids,” Ebony-Joy said about her Wellstar providers. “I come from an amazing family, and I am happy to add Wellstar to it as they will continue to support me for years to come.”

Ebony-Joy not only stays informed of her own health — she is looking out for her children, too. She learned that she has a gene mutation that also makes her more likely to be affected by pancreatic cancer. She also discovered that two of her great aunts and her cousin all had breast cancer. Now that she knows her family history, her children will get screened at early ages to stay healthy. 

Visit wellstar.org/cancercare to learn more about fighting cancer with Wellstar. To schedule a mammogram to check in on your breast health, call (678) 581-5900.

When someone has breast cancer, catching it early can be life-saving. As part of Wellstar’s efforts to address health inequity and enhance the well-being of those we serve, Wellstar recently offered free mammograms so local women could check in on their breast health.

A $5,000 grant from the American Cancer Society provided the mammograms, helping to remove barriers to healthcare access. Mammograms, which were promoted through the American Cancer Society website, were available at imaging facilities at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, Wellstar Cobb Hospital, Wellstar Douglas Hospital and Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center. 

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women worldwide, excluding skin cancer. 

“Unfortunately, one in eight women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime, so early detection is key,” said Dr. Paula Greaves, Wellstar’s chief women’s health officer. “There are some risk factors that women cannot change, such as genetics, but there are some that women can reduce, such as smoking and nutrition.”

Breast cancer is more treatable when it is caught early and treatment can start as soon as possible. 

“Mammograms are essential in early detection,” Dr. Greaves said. “It is recommended that women start getting mammograms at age 40, or earlier if there has been a family history of breast cancer — and to continue not only getting mammograms but seeing their gynecologist for regular breast exams.”

To ensure our communities are educated about cancer screenings and have access to essential care, Wellstar has partnered with the American Cancer Society’s Return to Screening initiative. 

“The American Cancer Society’s Return to Screening initiative has brought together mammography leaders from across the state for a meeting once a month to brainstorm and collaborate on ways to get women to have their annual screening mammograms,” said Lynn Hanks, executive director of medical imaging operations for Wellstar. “The learning collaborative allows us to share best practices and what has been successful at other locations.”

To schedule a mammogram, call (678) 581-5900.