Neighborly blessings
Conway friends share stories of breast cancer
In June of this year, Shelli Crowell, 51, of Conway noticed something unusual. It was after a shower, and she noticed a slight indentation on one of her breasts. The shape was also irregular. Crowell, who had implants, made an immediate appointment with Dr. Suzanne Yee, a Little Rock plastic surgeon, since Crowell had already been thinking about having the implants removed. She thought one of them might have been causing the irregularity. Yee told Crowell to have an immediate mammogram, even though Crowell wasn’t due for the test for another three months. Her doctors discovered that she had stage 2 invasive ductal carcinoma. She decided to have a double mastectomy, but because the cancer was stage 2, she would have to undergo chemotherapy. Crowell said the news about the cancer was frightening, but luckily, she had a friend nearby who could help. Tiffany Brown, 45, was a longtime friend of Crowell’s — the pair had known each other growing up in Morrilton — and the two were neighbors in Conway. In 2015, Brown was diagnosed with lobular carcinoma in situ, a very early form of what Crowell was diagnosed with. Brown had a history of breast cancer in her family — her grandmother had gotten it at the same age as Brown — and was very proactive about getting mammograms. She said she had undergone several biopsies, but when she found out about the cancer, she chose to have a double mastectomy. Since she caught the cancer early, she didn’t require chemotherapy. “You have to be proactive, whether you have a family history [of cancer] or not,” Brown said. Crowell said she also sought out others with her specific type of cancer on Facebook and in other groups. She said it was important to find people who had gone through the same experience because they can offer advice and insight into the specific needs of that type of cancer. In some ways, Crowell said, the cancer diagnosis was a blessing. Crowell’s husband, Randy, is a veteran who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. She said his PTSD has often caused rifts in their relationship, but her cancer diagnosis opened new conduits for communication between the couple. She said she has never felt so loved and secure. She said she worries about other women going through treatment who may not have the same level of support she has. “That’s our calling now,” Crowell said about supporting other women. This month, Brown participated in Runway for the Cure, a fashion fundraiser for the Susan G. Komen Arkansas organization. Brown said her aunt told her she should apply. She didn’t think she would be picked, but she applied anyway. Out of the 130 applications, Brown was one of the 40 chosen. She said it was a blessing to see so many survivors at the meetings and the event. Both Brown and Crowell said their faith was an important part of their recovery. Crowell said she knew that God always hears everyone’s prayers, “but I keep adding more and more,” she said. Crowell recently had her third round of chemotherapy, and despite some energy loss, she said, “I think I’m knocking it out of the park.”
You have to be proactive, whether you have a family history [of cancer] or not.” TIFFANY BROWN Conway