Cancer Survivor Struggles after Beating Disease

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month and every day women who have been touched by the disease share their stories. Just because a patient is cancer free doesn't mean the battle is over.

Phoebe Whitted has been in and out of hospitals for ten years. Even though she's been cancer free for the majority of the past decade she's worked to regain what the disease stole from her.

Her story started back in 2002.

"When I found out and was diagnosed my nephew had just passed away from brain cancer," explained Whitted.

Her family knew what cancer was capable of doing. As if the news could not get any worse, on the way to her nephew Morgan's funeral she learned that she too had cancer.

In her mid 30s, Whitted was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer.

"At that point I had chemotherapy, radiation, more chemotherapy and four lumptectomies in 2002 and 2003," recalls Whitted about her rigorous plan of attack to beat the disease.

"I'm not the same anymore. It's been quite a journey and it hasn't all been negative there have been good days and there have been bad days."

She beat the cancer, but after a double mastectomy the journey to reconstruct what the disease stole from her had just begun.

"I thought I was done and thought I'd never be quote normal again," she said.

"After an eight year run of trying with implants we were able to use her lower abdominal tissue to reconstruct the breast," explained Dr. Nabil Habash.

Whitted met Dr. Habash who specializes in micro surgery at Seton Institute of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery. His goal is to reconstruct his patient's breasts without using implants.

"The longevity of the results are better than implants and the risks down the road are eliminated and the look and feel of the breast is more natural," said Dr. Habash.

It is a practice Dr. Habash says has been around for years but now it's an option for patients that minimizes healing problems and shortens the recovery time.

"Phoebe is a classic example of patients who may be or who are burnt out on the idea of reconstruction and on brink of quitting, and I think they are the ones who appreciate it the most," said Dr. Habash.

"I'd never dreamed that I would be where I am right now," explained Whitted who has one more out patient procedure.

"It's the feeling of wholeness and femininity that they regain and for me it is what I enjoy doing the most," said Dr. Habash.

He and other doctors in his practice typically get involved with breast cancer patients early on after they are diagnosed and become part of the medical team.

Whitted's daughters who were 11 and 13 at the time she was diagnosed are now in school pursuing careers in the medical field. She's convinced it is because of her battle with breast cancer and the positive experience she had with her medical team. Dr. Habash and his colleagues are located at Seton Williamson.