Survivor Friday: Dana Williams

Time now for our Survivor Friday segment. Leading up to the Making Strides, we're meeting people who have been touched by cancer. And today, we're meeting Dana Williams and Amy Luminatis from the Health First Breast Center and Breast Clinic. Good morning to the both of you. Good morning. Thanks so much for having us. Long reach. I'm trying. Okay, we got it. All right, Dana, I'm so curious about your cancer story. I know everybody has a story. Tell me yours. Yes. My journey started in October of 2024. I was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer. I went through a bilateral mastectomy. I did a deep flap reconstruction, chemotherapy, radiation, and now I am on endocrine therapy. Was it a normal mammogram? How did you find out? I just felt a lump. Were you doing your monthly exam? No. No, but you just happened to feel a lump. I was high risk, so I was getting extra surveillance. My family had breast cancer and I had other cancers, so I was getting imaged every six months and I just felt a lump. What went through your mind when you felt that lump? This can't be real. This isn't real. This isn't what's happening. I was very scared. And then once you felt the lump, you went in? I went to the doctor. I did the mammogram, ultrasound, and got the news. When you get news like that, and one of the things you said is, boy, this can't be real, this can't be happening. When does the reality of it set in? I'm not sure that it has yet, even after treatment. You just can't believe that this is your life and this is what's going on. It's unimaginable, unbelievable. Let's talk a little bit about early detection and making sure that you are doing everything that you can. One of the biggest things that we want to emphasize at the Breast Center at Health First is the importance of annual bilateral breast screening mammograms. Early detection can mean early treatments. We recommend at Health First, starting at age 40, that women should talk to their doctors and have that discussion about personal individual risk factors, personal family history, and they can help formulate an imaging schedule that is appropriate for them. You know what's so scary for me? I hear so many women now who are younger than 40, right? And so I guess you do need to speak with your doctor because we're hearing it more often than perhaps we want to get these early. And there's a lot of factors. Dense breasts plays a factor. Genetics plays a factor. Anyone earlier than 40 that has a family history, has a genetic mutation, should for sure be getting early imaging and speaking to their provider about it. And is it just early imaging? Because let's talk a little bit about 3D, because that's something I didn't start doing until about two or three years ago, because I do have dense breast tissue, but didn't really know that's something I should be doing. Right. How important is that? Very important. And at Health First, mammogram machines are all 3D machines. What would you say to somebody? First of all, how are you doing today? I asked you off camera, but I want you to say it on camera. I'm doing wonderful. I feel good and just grateful and thankful that I was able to survive. Well, you look absolutely beautiful. What was your course of treatment to get you through it? chemotherapy, radiation, and then hormone blockers. Well, you look beautiful. You look absolutely stunning. Thank you so much. Thank you She does look beautiful. What would your message be to other women? Just lean on the people that you love. Focus on one day at a time. Stay strong. Stay positive. And know that you're not alone on this journey. What was the most important thing that kept you positive through such a terrible diagnosis? My girls. Oh. I have two daughters. and how old are the girls? 16 and 18. Oh and that those those teenagers they'll keep you positive They'll keep you on your toes. Absolutely so yes they they were definitely my light and helped me get to the finish line. Well you are a light and we are so glad that you're doing okay. And Amy thank you for being with us. Thank you so much and we'll see you on the 31st. Yes we'll be there on the 31st. Hopefully we'll see you on the 31st as well and there are multiple Making Strides Against Breast cancer walks happening this October. First up is October 24th in Brevard County starting at 7 a.m. at the Avenue Vieira and then on October 31st two more walks kick off at 7 a.m. One at the Riverfront Esplanade in Daytona Beach and another of course at Lake Eola Park in Orlando where we will be. Our Fox 35 team will be at that event and we would love for you to join us.