Baldwyn Woman Fights for Her Independence from Breast Cancer
Independence Day 2024 was especially sweet for Cindy Murphy.
After nearly a year of fighting breast cancer, the 60-year-old Baldwyn woman was able to celebrate a special kind of freedom. On July 3, she received the most welcome test results for any cancer patient – No Evidence of Disease – during a visit at North Mississippi Hematology Oncology.
“I’m scared to say I beat it, but it really feels like I have,” Cindy said.
Cancer Aware
While breast cancer doesn’t run in Cindy’s family, she did lose her parents and brother to other kinds of cancer.
“My sister and I are religious about screening,” Cindy said.
In July 2023, Cindy had found a lump in her breast.
“I dropped some food on my blouse; I felt it when I brushed it off my blouse,” Cindy said. “It was totally out of the blue.”
Her tumor had grown rapidly – going from undetectable on her November 2022 mammogram to a lump in July 2023.
“It takes a lot of cancer cells to make a lump you can feel,” Cindy said.
Charting a Course
Cindy was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer. Her tumor was tested negative for estrogen, progesterone and HER-2 receptors. Considering all the factors involved in Cindy’s case, her multidisciplinary Cancer Care team recommended an aggressive course of treatment.
She went through 16 weeks of chemotherapy before having surgery.
“I never missed a treatment, but I did need two blood transfusions,” Cindy said.
At first, Cindy considered a double mastectomy, but her breast surgeon Dr. Danny Sanders counselled her to consider the benefits and risks of other procedures. Removing all breast tissue does not fully eliminate the risk of recurrence. Lumpectomy, which is an option for early-stage breast cancer, leaves as much healthy breast tissue in place as possible. When followed by radiation treatment, lumpectomy is very effective.
Cindy opted for the lumpectomy. Following surgery, she went through radiation treatment and received additional immunotherapy infusions.
“I had radiation on my 60th birthday,” Cindy said.
There were tough moments, like deciding to have her hair shaved when it started falling out during chemotherapy, but she worked hard to maintain a positive attitude through humor and prayer.
“As long as I’m upright, I’m alright,” Cindy said. “That’s been my motto.”
Family Steps Up
Through the course of her treatment, Cindy’s family stepped up for her. Her husband, Murry, her daughters, Mallory Roberts and Macey Murphy, and grandsons, Case and Camp, surrounded her with love. Her chihuahua, Edie, never left her side.
“I’ve had a lot of family support,” Cindy said.
Macey, who had been working as a travel nurse, moved home immediately after Cindy shared her diagnosis
“She said I have one patient and that was her mama,” Cindy said. “She went to all of my appointments with me.”
Mallory, a teacher, would accompany her mom to treatments whenever school wasn’t in session.
“The actual chemo treatments were not as bad as I thought they would be,” Cindy said.
Cindy also connected with other breast cancer survivors through Facebook support groups.
“It was nice to be able to talk to someone who had been through the same things,” Cindy said.
Cindy has been able to return to her work as the director of operations for a regional hotel chain. Her journey through breast cancer treatment revealed the power of perspective and optimism.
“I have learned this is one day at a time,” Cindy said. “It will pass, and the sun is going to shine again.”
For newly diagnosed breast cancer survivors, Cindy’s best advice is to accept help, even though it can be tough to admit you need a hand.
“People are willing to help,” Cindy said. “Accept help and say thank you.”
Cindy Murphy leaned on family, prayers and humor to navigate her treatment.
