Care Second to None
Her grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1923. Her mother had breast cancer. So did all her aunts, two sisters and a cousin. At some point in her life, Carol Finlayson expected she too would hear the words “you have breast cancer.”
Two years ago, the feared premonition came true. After calcifications were seen on her mammogram, Finlayson was referred to St. Joseph’s Diagnostic Imaging Centre, where a biopsy was performed and the diagnosis of breast cancer confirmed.
“Although I believed it could happen to me, to say I wasn’t scared would be a lie. But I pushed the fear down and focused on getting better. As long as the people around me were courageous I knew that I would be okay.”
Finlayson drew strength from her husband, John, and her three sons, Alex, Nick and Elias. She was also supported by the women in her family who had experienced breast cancer themselves. At the time, Finlayson’s family was coping with her sister’s recovery from a lumpectomy and the diagnosis of another cousin with stage 4 breast cancer.
Experiencing a wide range emotions, Finlayson coped by dealing with each phase of the diagnosis and care one stage at a time. A number of options on managing her cancer were reviewed and a decision was made for her to have a lumpectomy. It would be the just the beginning of Finlayson’s journey with the care team at St. Joseph’s.
In the weeks leading to the surgery St. Joseph’s became a constant in Finlayson’s life. She underwent several imaging exams, including an MRI, and extensive preparation on the day of her operation.
In November, the operation took place and Finlayson went home to recover. Feeling confident the procedure was successful in removing all the cancer, she met with her physician. The prognosis was not as she hoped. During the surgery, additional calcifications had been discovered.
With her family history of breast cancer, Finlayson began to consider a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery as an option. Plastic surgeon Dr. Clare Temple became her physician and once again, Finlayson became a regular visitor to St. Joseph’s Hospital. Much testing was required before her surgery to ensure she was a good candidate for such a significant procedure. A few months later, she underwent the 12- hour operation.
Finlayson has nothing but praise for Dr. Temple. “In my opinion Dr. Temple is a genius – she is absolutely exceptional. When I would look at her, it was almost like looking at a hero. I would see this wonderful, young, accomplished woman, who was giving me everything that she could. I just knew that I was being well taken care of.”
Through it all, Finlayson appreciated the respectful care provided by the imaging and nursing teams. “They treated me with dignity,” and they never forgot how important the little things were. The care at St. Joseph’s is second to none.” For Finlayson, the future looks bright. Her surgery was a success and after five days in hospital, she went home.
A new breast care centre will open at St. Joseph's in the fall of 2011.
Learn more about the new centre and how you can help make a difference
