The American Cancer Society estimates that one in eight women will develop breast cancer, while the risk for men is one in 833.
For most of us, that means breast cancer has affected someone we know or love. With me, it affected my mom. In 2001, she received a diagnosis of stage two breast cancer. At that time, her doctors said she had a 40 to 50% chance of surviving five years.
Last year, my mom celebrated her 20-year anniversary of being cancer-free.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is the perfect time to shine a light on inspirational stories.
Many of you either personally know Lynda Minks Hood, executive director of the Chattanooga Bar Association, or know of her due to her professional and philanthropic accomplishments.
What you might not know is that she recently celebrated her 25-year anniversary of being cancer-free after a diagnosis of stage four breast cancer.
The American Cancer Society says the five-year survival rate for stage four breast cancer is 28% percent; however, Lynda didn’t focus on statistics. Instead, she concentrated on surviving to raise her daughter, Lauren, who was 1 year old when she was diagnosed.
Speaking with Lynda, it’s clear her faith resonates in everything she does. After her diagnosis, Lynda prayed on the drive home. Halfway there, she felt completely at peace.
Lynda says she never asked, “Why me?” Instead, she believed God wanted her to learn something from the experience.
Before her diagnosis, Lynda had prayed about five things. She and her husband, Michael, needed to find a new church. She also wanted to raise Lauren to know God and to have faith.
In addition, Lynda wanted to know her purpose and what she could do to serve and glorify God.
Finally, she wanted to know if she had complete faith.
Lynda says she wouldn’t have received the answers to those concerns if she hadn’t had stage four breast cancer. From diagnosis through recovery, she received the answers to her five prayers.
Lynda credits Lauren, Michael and the new church they found, Signal Mountain Presbyterian, with helping her cope with the breast cancer diagnosis and aftermath.
Members of the church, for example, held a private healing service for Lynda two days after her diagnosis, which touched her deeply.
On July 23, 1997, Lynda underwent an 8.5-hour surgery consisting of a mastectomy and reconstructive surgery. She did not go through that ordeal alone. Lynda had her husband and pastor by her side.
After surgery, Lynda had six months of chemotherapy and seven and a-half weeks of radiation treatments. Despite the vigorous regimen, Lynda continued to work at the CBA. Working and focusing on Lauren took the focus off herself, she says.
Lynda’s husband supported her in one of the rare moments when her positivity waned, as she began losing her hair almost immediately after her first chemo treatment.
Michael saw her crying about the hair loss and pointed out that she wasn’t upset about the loss of a body part but was crying over hair that would grow back. His perspective put Lynda back on track.
Following treatments, Lynda became vigilant to prevent a recurrence of cancer. For example, she had an emergency hysterectomy in 2004 because her blood work showed high levels of estrogen, which can increase the risk of breast cancer.
Lynda also saw her oncologist every three months for 10 years. Her oncologist placed her on oral chemotherapy medication, which she took for 17 years.
Lynda credits Erlanger for everything it did for her and her family.
In 1977, Lynda’s father, optometrist Dr. Jack Minks, had a massive heart attack. He sought emergency treatment at the same hospital where Lynda was treated.
The doctors told her family her dad wouldn’t survive. Instead, Dr. Minks beat the odds and lived another 28 years. Over time, he underwent five open heart surgeries and other heart procedures.
Not surprisingly, Lynda went on to join the Erlanger Foundation board of trustees, serving previously as chairwoman and currently as past chair.
Since Lynda’s diagnosis 25 years ago, a lot has changed with breast cancer screenings. For example, testing for the BRCA-1 or BRCA-2 gene mutations was not available when Lynda was diagnosed. She never had the testing after it became available; however, her daughter, Lauren, has tested negative.
Another screening method developed since Lynda’s diagnosis is a bilateral breast MRI, which is an effective diagnostic tool for high-risk women. Notably, Lynda had no history of breast cancer in her family, so she says women need to be proactive in getting yearly mammograms.
Lynda’s positive attitude shines through in her outlook on life. She described herself as an upbeat person who loves life.
Lynda’s advice for women diagnosed with breast cancer includes taking the focus off yourself, living your life as normally as possible, talking about – but not dwelling on – your concerns, asking for prayer and staying positive.
With a stage four diagnosis, Lynda said the doctors didn’t paint a pretty picture of her future. However, one of her doctors told her 85% of the cure is a positive attitude.
Lynda’s 25-year anniversary is an indicator that positivity, among other factors, helps generate better outcomes.
Her enthusiasm for life and passion for community causes is apparent in everything she does. For more than 35 years, Lynda has been involved in numerous clubs and organizations and has received many awards and honors recognizing her efforts.
However, Lynda’s involvement with the hospital, the American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association remain the closest to her heart. Like her dad, Lynda beat the odds.
The Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims appointed Audrey Headrick as a judge in 2015. Before her appointment, Headrick was a workers’ compensation specialist IV and staff attorney for 10 years in the Chattanooga office of the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation. Headrick previously spent two years in private practice working as a defense attorney, where her primary concentration was in workers’ compensation law. She received her juris doctor from the University of Memphis in 2002 and her bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 1997.