When Jasmine Taylor was 29 years old she discovered a lump in her breast.
She can recall the first time she felt it. Taylor was playing with her four-year-old son when she bumped her breast and felt a lump.
Taylor, who was still producing breast milk to donate to mothers who couldn’t produce any thought it was just a blocked milk duct. However, when the lump didn’t go away in a couple of weeks, her family and friends strongly encouraged her to get it checked out.
“Luckily, mine was caught early and it was Stage 1,” Taylor said.
Her local doctor recommended she go to the Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Zion, Ill., because of the type of cancer she had and how young she was. She would not be disappointed in CTCA.
Taylor wound up having a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery. At first, she wasn’t interested in reconstructive surgery, but once again her age played a factor. The employees at CTCA felt she would later regret not having it so Taylor did and was glad she decided to go that route. After the double mastectomy, Taylor went through 18 rounds of chemotherapy and she could recall looking at the leafs with cancer survivors names on them while at CTCA.
Most times, Taylor flew to Illinois for her treatments. However, there were a couple of times when flights were grounded due to snow and so the Utah Cancer Specialists would administer her treatments. After five years and numerous scans, her breast cancer was gone.
The celebration
To celebrate her fifth year of being breast-cancer free, Taylor took a trip to CTCA in Illinois to not only plant a physical tree, but have her name engraved on a tree leaf, which is prominently displayed in the treatment center. She joined 120 other five-year cancer survivors this year. She said CTCA always treated her so well throughout her entire treatment and through recovery.
Taylor said the tree is a symbol of strength and resilience. She said trees weather storms and blow back and forth and even though a tree may lose its leaves and bend, it hardly ever breaks.
Taylor enjoyed attending the 30th Celebration of Life event in Illinois and seeing her name on a leaf. “It’s empowering for those going through treatment to see them,” she said.
She knows because they once gave her strength when she looked at them. Those leafs represent people who went through treatment and beat it, she said.
Moving forward
Taylor may have beat breast cancer, but she recently found out she has Stage 1 ovarian cancer.
“I went in thinking I had a bladder infection,” she said.
However, a local doctor didn’t think her symptoms were in line with a bladder infection and ordered an ultrasound. It revealed a mass on her ovary. This mass was about the size of her fist, which was putting pressure on her bladder as it continues to grow. Taylor had a hysterectomy last Thursday.
“I really respect the doctors here locally,” Taylor said. “They did the scans and helped me find it.”
Over the years, Taylor has gotten used to surgeries. She’s had her appendix, gallbladder, spleen and masses on intestines removed.
“You won’t think it affects so much of your body, but it can,” Taylor said.
Taylor wanted to encourage people, especially moms, not to place their health on the back burner. She said don’t put things off for weeks because of caring for your children or busy at work.
Taylor also wanted to encourage others to be proactive about their health. If they think something is wrong, there probably is.
“It’s never too early to go check,” she said.
Despite everything Taylor’s been through, she continues to remain positive.
“I don’t know if some of it’s natural, but the other part of it is I’m surrounded by people who are encouraging me,” Taylor said.
She’s also seen first hand how having a negative attitude can set back one’s recovery.
As for Taylor’s future, she’s going to live each life to the fullest. She’s not sure what type of treatment she’ll have to go through after her latest surgery, but she’s going to stay positive.
“It’s opened my eyes to see how beautiful life can be,” she said.
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