Survivor Stories
Robin Leidhecker
Montoursville, Lycoming County
I am self-employed as a real estate title searcher conducting courthouse research for banks and attorneys. My husband is self-employed as a constructionmanager and we do not have health insurance. We looked into buying individual insurance but the cost is prohibitive.
Diagnosis and Treatment
I have always done whatever was necessary to take care of our health, paying for doctor appointments and medications out of pocket. Every year for the past 9 or 10 years I have been going for a screening mammogram through the PA Department of Health’s HealthyWoman program. On a Friday afternoon this past October I had what I thought would be another routine annual mammogram, but first thing the following Monday morning I got a call to come back in to the hospital. The doctor showed me the mammogram and pointed out clusters of calcified cells, which is what alerted them to follow up. Then I had a stereotactic mammogram and was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ.
I had surgery on November 11th and everything went smoothly. I had never even had anesthesia before! I had MammoSite 5-day targeted radiation therapy and will be on tamoxifen for the next five years.
All of those tests and procedures are being covered through the FREE TREATMENT PROGRAM available for uninsured and underinsured women as part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment program. The nurse gave me a form to fill out and handled the rest. She told me not to worry about the cost because the FREE TREATMENT PROGRAM would take care of anything I needed. That was a tremendous weight off my mind. I was able to take on the job of just getting well. I believe it speeds recovery when you don’t have to worry and have anxiety about paying the bills. Dr. Timothy Pagana at Susquehanna Health's Kathryn Candor Lundy Breast Cancer Center at Divine Providence Hospital treated me and I feel fortunate to have found him.
What Things Really Count
Breast cancer is something you always think happens to someone else. We all think that. I ate right, took care of myself, and had no risk factors, nothing that indicated that I should watch for breast cancer … no family history. I guess that creates a false sense of security.
I’m used to handling things myself but this was something I couldn’t fix. I’m less concerned with being a perfectionist now. I’ve learned to trust people around me. I saw that my family would be with me, that my friends would bring meals, and my son and daughter-in-law would go to doctor appointments withme. I guess this happens to anyone who goes through a life-threatening experience … faith, family and friends become more important. You begin to realize what things really count.
I tell other women to get those mammograms. If you’re not going to do it for yourself, think of your family and do it for them.
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Robin Leidhecker speaks about her story and the importance of the free treatment program |
Montoursville, Lycoming County
I am self-employed as a real estate title searcher conducting courthouse research for banks and attorneys. My husband is self-employed as a constructionmanager and we do not have health insurance. We looked into buying individual insurance but the cost is prohibitive.
Diagnosis and Treatment
I have always done whatever was necessary to take care of our health, paying for doctor appointments and medications out of pocket. Every year for the past 9 or 10 years I have been going for a screening mammogram through the PA Department of Health’s HealthyWoman program. On a Friday afternoon this past October I had what I thought would be another routine annual mammogram, but first thing the following Monday morning I got a call to come back in to the hospital. The doctor showed me the mammogram and pointed out clusters of calcified cells, which is what alerted them to follow up. Then I had a stereotactic mammogram and was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ.
I had surgery on November 11th and everything went smoothly. I had never even had anesthesia before! I had MammoSite 5-day targeted radiation therapy and will be on tamoxifen for the next five years.
All of those tests and procedures are being covered through the FREE TREATMENT PROGRAM available for uninsured and underinsured women as part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment program. The nurse gave me a form to fill out and handled the rest. She told me not to worry about the cost because the FREE TREATMENT PROGRAM would take care of anything I needed. That was a tremendous weight off my mind. I was able to take on the job of just getting well. I believe it speeds recovery when you don’t have to worry and have anxiety about paying the bills. Dr. Timothy Pagana at Susquehanna Health's Kathryn Candor Lundy Breast Cancer Center at Divine Providence Hospital treated me and I feel fortunate to have found him.
What Things Really Count
Breast cancer is something you always think happens to someone else. We all think that. I ate right, took care of myself, and had no risk factors, nothing that indicated that I should watch for breast cancer … no family history. I guess that creates a false sense of security.
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“Breast cancer is something you always think happens to someone else... I’m used to handling things myself but this was something I couldn’t fix.” - Robin Leidhecker |
I’m used to handling things myself but this was something I couldn’t fix. I’m less concerned with being a perfectionist now. I’ve learned to trust people around me. I saw that my family would be with me, that my friends would bring meals, and my son and daughter-in-law would go to doctor appointments withme. I guess this happens to anyone who goes through a life-threatening experience … faith, family and friends become more important. You begin to realize what things really count.
I tell other women to get those mammograms. If you’re not going to do it for yourself, think of your family and do it for them.
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