COLUMBIA, S.C. — Amy De Nardo Kaczmarek is living proof that if something is bothering physically, you should pay attention to it.
The 47 year old mother of two, wife, twin sister, Army veteran, PhD candidate and now breast cancer survivor speaks from the perspective of knowing the importance of a self breast exam.
De Nardo Kaczmarek noticed a suspicious lump near her armpit. Initially, she dismissed it as a swollen lymph node because she'd been ill; she'd also had a mammogram six months earlier so she never imagined that this lump could be breast cancer.
It was November of 2022, after about a month of dealing with the lump, she called her doctor and was scheduled for another mammogram. That led to a biopsy, and two days after Christmas, she received a call with the test results. De Nardo Kaczmarek had breast cancer and one of the most aggressive forms of the disease.
According to the American Cancer Society, "Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) accounts for about 10-15% of all breast cancers. The term triple-negative breast cancer refers to the fact that the cancer cells don’t have estrogen or progesterone receptors (ER or PR) and also don’t make any or too much of the protein called HER2. (The cells test "negative" on all 3 tests.) These cancers tend to be more common in women younger than age 40, who are Black, or who have a BRCA1 mutation."
De Nardo Kaczmarek would spend all of 2023 fighting for her life. Doctors acted quickly because within a month's time, her tumor doubled in size. Her treatment plan would include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Unfortunately, De Nardo Kaczmarek's had to delay her treatments because her immune system wasn't responding well to the treatment. She developed neuropathy in her hands and feet.
Through it all, she stayed positive with the help of her family, friends and faith.
Early detection is the key to saving your life when it comes to breast cancer. Talk to your doctor about your family history and the right time for you to begin your annual mammogram.