Breast cancer survivors share importance of tracking family history
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) -- Connie Swieter and her daughter Michelle Berndt have known for years that breast cancer runs in their family.
"Grandma was 53 when she found out, and died at 59," Swieter said. "Mom was 57 and died at 59."
Swieter was 53 in 2009 when her doctors diagnosed her after a routine mammogram. Thankfully, she caught it early. But she never imagined that just two years later she'd be helping her 29-year-old daughter through a battle for her life.
Berndt was pregnant with her second child when she told her OBGYN about her family's breast cancer history.
The mother and daughter opted for genetic testing and both tested positive for a BRCA2 mutation. Berndt made the decision to have a preventative double mastectomy, but a discovery just before surgery changed everything.
"Two months before the surgery I was showering and I found the lump myself," Berndt said. "Not only was it cancer, but it was invasive and it was already starting to spread."
Berndt's entire journey is part of Dallas Hope, a documentary by Baylor Scott and White. She had both breasts removed, eight rounds of chemotherapy, 35 rounds of radiation and a hysterectomy.
In the middle of her fight, Berndt found some light. In 2013, just after finishing chemotherapy, she won Mrs. Texas International.
It's now been 10 years since her diagnosis, and both she and her mom are healthy.
"I'm happy to be alive," Berndt said. "I take every single moment and embrace it because you don't know when it's going to be your last."
She and her mom are now on a mission together to make sure all women dealing with breast cancer know they are not alone. They hope their story sends a message: take your family history seriously.
"That genetic testing 100% saved my life," Berndt said.
It's important to note that most women who are diagnosed with breast cancer do not have a family history. And if you are at higher risk because you have a family history, the recommendations for screenings are different.
The American Cancer Society suggests most women at high risk start screening with MRI and mammograms when they are 30 years old and should continue for as long as they are in good health.
They note; however, that this is a decision that should be made with your health care providers--taking into account your personal circumstances and preferences.
