Cherise McKinnon is an Air Force Veteran whose first duty station was at Moody Air Force Base in 1993. Because she is a veteran, she often travels to the closest Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital to receive care, which is in Gainesville, Florida.
In 2015, a routine mammogram showed breast calcifications, or calcium deposits that develop in breast tissue. While they are usually benign, they can be a sign that someone is at risk for developing breast cancer. Because of this, Cherise was told to have mammograms every 6 months, rather than annually.
At her February 2022 mammogram screening, another cluster of calcifications showed up in a new spot. She was scheduled for a biopsy on March 2nd. On March 4, she was told that she had invasive ductal carcinoma, the most common type of breast cancer.
After receiving her diagnosis, the VA gave her clearance to receive her cancer treatment in Valdosta at SGMC’s Pearlman Cancer Center rather than traveling back and forth to Gainesville, a two-hour trip each way.
“In the beginning, it was like it wasn’t real,” she shares. “My world shut down. I was still moving, but I just couldn’t believe it I was diagnosed with cancer.”
Cherise met with Hematologist and Oncologist Swapna Narayana, MD, to get her treatment started. In April 2022, Cherise began chemotherapy at SGMC. She went through 6 rounds of treatment, with appointments every 3 weeks. She also received immunotherapy weekly between her chemotherapy treatments.
In the midst of that treatment, she did genetic testing to determine if her cancer was hereditary. Thankfully, it came back negative for gene mutations.
In October 2022, Cherise underwent a bilateral mastectomy with Dr. Bridgett Moore, cosmetic surgeon. Unfortunately, she had a complication after surgery when a nurse noticed a hematoma on her left side. She was rushed back into surgery and had to get 2 bags of blood.
“I almost died,” she shares. “Thank goodness for that nurse! She saved my life!”
Following surgery, she was out of work for about a month and a half for recovery. Then, the expansion process began for breast reconstruction.
Throughout her journey, her family has been very supportive. Cherise does have a sister-friend, Sheryl Pressley, who was there every step of the way to see her through all of the highs and lows of her cancer battle. Also, she praises her coworkers, or her “Sallas Mahone family”, for looking out for her.” They really carried me through,” she says. She also compliments her Pearlman care team for the extraordinary care they provided.
Despite the tough battle, Cherise remained steadfast and positive about her outcome. “I had so much faith that I was going to get through this.”
She says now she pushes women who are eligible to not put off their breast cancer screenings. “I tell my story and encourage ladies to get their mammogram,” she says. “Had I not been scheduled for my mammogram, I wouldn’t have known about my cancer diagnosis. The earlier you find out, the better your chances are of getting the right treatment. I don’t know how long it would’ve gone unnoticed.”