Survivor’s Story: A Young Mom’s Battle with Breast Cancer

The following is a personal interview between local breast cancer survivor, Audra Smith-Odum, and Melodie Willis, one of her best friends.

Audra: I will never forget the rush of emotions that I experienced after being told that I had a very aggressive form of breast cancer. I was scared, shocked, numb, and in total disbelief of my diagnosis. I looked at my husband, Corky, and my two beautiful children, Harlie and Cole, and made the decision right then that I was going to beat this. There is no way that I will let a lump in my breast take me away from this wonderful family.

Melodie: How did you first discover the lump in your breast?

Audra: After leaving work one day, I went home and lay down on my couch to rest and watch TV. I had an itch under my arm, and it was at this point that I felt a lump. I decided to do a self-breast exam and realized that I really was feeling something.

Melodie: Can you tell me what occurred in the first few days and weeks after you discovered your lump? 

Audra: First I called two different medical practices. Both places scheduled me for an appointment that was more than a week away. They asked my age and when I told them, they said that it was probably nothing, and that I would be fine to wait.
           
After being encouraged by several friends and family members to make this a priority, I called my family practitioner and was seen immediately. From there, I was sent to Greenville for a mammogram and a biopsy. All of this happened in one day. 
           
My original biopsy results indicated that I had a form of breast cancer known as DCIS. This is a non-invasive form of cancer. However, my doctor then recommended that I go to Duke for another opinion. It was at this time that another biopsy and mammogram were performed, and then my diagnosis changed. This is when I found out that I had Stage 3 invasive HER/2 positive breast cancer that had spread to my surrounding lymph nodes. I was scheduled with an oncologist at Duke University Hospital and an aggressive treatment plan was put into motion.

Melodie: Audra, can you describe some of the emotions that you experienced after the realization of your diagnosis? How did you feel as a mom?

Audra: Everything that I did with my children made me scared that it would be the last time that I would be having that experience with them. Trick-or-treating, birthday parties, Christmas shopping, and even driving them to school made me terrified that I would not be here next year to be doing these things. There is no worse feeling than the emotions associated with not being with my children.

Melodie: As a wife?

Audra: I was comforted in the fact that I knew how much my husband loved me. I knew he would be there no matter how tough or demanding things may get at home. I was a little anxious about his response once I lost my hair and my breasts. However, he has been beyond supportive and loving. Once I lost my breasts, he said that now he is just closer to my heart.

Melodie: Audra, I know your treatments were so draining, but you always seemed to stay so positive.  How did you do it?

Audra: Everything that I read and had been told by cancer survivors and doctors stressed the importance of staying positive and not giving up. I was scared that if I got too depressed or down, that I would lose my battle and the cancer would win. I was reminded by friends on a regular basis that no one is promised tomorrow. We have to live for today, and make the best of it. That is what I did!

Melodie: What things helped you be able to physically complete your treatment plan and still deal with the struggles of everyday life? What things were of greatest help to you?

 
Audra: I had to learn to accept help from family and friends. This was a really hard thing for me to do. Luckily, the people who are closest to me know my personality, and didn’t ask if they could help. They just told me what they were going to do, and then they did it. Corky’s family and my family helped me with the children as I traveled back and forth to Durham for treatments.   
           

I had friends and neighbors who helped me get my children back and forth to school. I had friends who would call and leave a message that they would be bringing over dinner for my family. It is really hard to accept help when someone asks, but if they just demand that they are going to do something, it is even harder to tell them no. Everyone needs a great support group. I even had a group of friends who told me that they were doing a fundraiser for my family and me.  I am lucky to be surrounded by such wonderful people.

Melodie: What are some things that you did that you would not recommend to other breast cancer patients?
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Audra: At times I would focus on the people that had not survived their battle with breast cancer and the devastating effects that it had on their families. I would read stories and articles about women who had died from the same type of cancer that I had and would get so discouraged. 
           
I would find myself self researching death statistics instead of survival statistics. I also tried blaming my lifestyle and habits for being the cause of my cancer and the pain that my family was experiencing, when really; I am a normal person who has lived a normal life. 
           
I would also get mad at myself whenever I had a breakdown. However, I had an enormous amount of emotions boiling inside of me, and it is important to experience all of these. I know now that it was healthy for me to cry, scream, throw things, and express my fears. I would not recommend for other breast cancer patients to feel guilty about anything that they may say, do or feel.

Melodie:  What’s next for you and your battle with breast cancer? 

Audra:  I have now completed six months of chemo, a double mastectomy, and six weeks of daily radiation at Duke. For the next six months, I will be going to Duke for an intravenous treatment of chemo called Herceptin. I have recently started taking Tamoxifan, which is a hormone pill that will make me experience menopausal symptoms. 
           
I am looking forward to my reconstructive surgery in February, 2010. I am also excited about getting back to work and being a mom, friend, and wife instead of just a cancer patient. I am determined to make a difference in the cancer community. I look forward to helping with fundraisers, leading a relay for life team, and offering support to people who are struggling with cancer and their families.

Melodie: Audra, do you have any personal advice that you would like to give to women on taking care of themselves and being aware of their health?

Audra: Yes, I am begging women to perform monthly self-breast exams and to investigate any abnormality that they may feel. I also strongly advise everyone to get a second opinion on any diagnosis that they may receive. If I had gone with my first diagnosis and had surgery before chemotherapy, I would have had an eighty percent chance of the cancer reoccurring and metastasizing elsewhere in my body. 
           
After obtaining a second opinion, and receiving the treatment plan that I got from Duke, I am now cancer free, and expect to live a long and healthy life with my family and friends. I strongly advise all women to be aware of their bodies and to cherish every moment that they have with the people that they love. 
           
I also encourage women who are struggling with breast cancer to accept the help that is offered from their families and friends and to involve them in their journey to beat breast cancer. I often took my children and my friends with me for chemo and radiation treatments. This helped them to understand what I had to do, and how hard I was working to remain a part of their lives.

Melodie: Cole, what advice do you have for children whose mothers are experiencing breast cancer?

Cole: I would tell kids to come home from school and take off their germy clothes before they give their mommy a hug. I would tell them to wash their hands a lot and learn how to wash clothes and other things that can help their mommy feel better. I would tell the kids to make sure that they say their prayers and tell their mommy that they love her every night!

Melodie: Harlie, what advice do you have for teenagers who have a mom that has been diagnosed with breast cancer?

Harlie:  I would tell them to try and help out more around the house and to let their mom hug them when they try. I know that hugging my mom made her feel so much better.

Audra Smith-Odum, age 37, is the wife of Corky Odum, and mother to Harlie, age 15, and Cole, age nine. Audra is also the owner and operator of the Red Door Hair Salon and has been a hair stylist for 15 years.

Melodie Gillikin Willis, age 37, is one of Audra’s best friends.  She is a wife and a mother of two boys, and is a kindergarten teacher at Tiller Charter School in Beaufort.

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