Joint Base Andrews, Maryland –
During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, An Andrews Airman shared her personal story about detection, diagnosis and her road to recovery after discovering that she had breast cancer.
Senior Master Sgt. Demetrica Jefferis discovered a lump in her breast after doing a self-examination on Oct. 5, 2013.
"Something told me, do a self-examination and I did," Jefferis said. "Since I was already familiar with them, I knew when something was out of the ordinary, something didn't feel right."
After discovering the lump in her left breast, she immediately followed up with the medical clinic at Osan Air Base, Republic of South Korea and they scheduled her for a diagnostic mammogram.
"They couldn't determine right away if it was cancer but the chief radiologist there said that it was probable," Jefferis said.
Her tour ended in Nov 2013, and she relocated to Joint Base Andrews. Upon arrival, she contacted Walter Reed National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland for tests to determine if the lump was cancerous.
"It wasn't until Dec. 26, 2013, when I was told that I had breast cancer," Jefferis said. "It was Ductal Carcinoma in Situ stage zero, meaning, it was detected very early."
Jefferis explained that this stage of breast cancer is treatable. It is the very early stage of cancer where the cancerous cells have not spread to the outside of the breast tissue.
Regardless, the news hit her hard.
"When they told me I had breast cancer I shed some tears, I shed a lot of tears," Jefferis said.
Breaking the news to her family was difficult, but she knew that they would be able to handle it.
"You could see it in their faces that they were hurt, shocked and in disbelief, as was I," she said. "But, because they knew that I was always upbeat and positive, all they did was ask, 'What do you need us to do?'"
"I need you to be positive," she said. "And that's what they did."
Jefferis faced a long road to recovery with very difficult decisions to make regarding her treatment.
"My options were a lumpectomy with radiation or a bilateral mastectomy," Jefferis said.
"The bilateral mastectomy, while it was hard to hear, took me a little while to digest," she said. "I knew that it was my best option because of family history."
When she was 11-years-old she found out that her mother had surgery, but it was unknown to her why. She said she was constantly shielded from seeing the wounds.
"Finally, I asked my dad what was wrong with my mom," Jefferis said.
"Your mother found a lump on her breast," he told her.
Jefferis knew exactly what that meant; her mother had breast cancer. Her mother died four years after her diagnosis.
Throughout Jefferis career she informed her doctors of her family history of breast cancer and regularly administered self-examinations.
"It really hit close to home once I learned my mother's sisters, were diagnosed with cancer," Jefferis said. "Months after I learned that, I discovered a lump on my breast."
After genetic testing, she found she had the BRAC-2 cancer gene, an indicator that the risk of breast cancer is greatly increased if a mutation to this gene is present.
"After coming back to Andrews, and having the genetic testing done, I wasn't surprised to find out that it was hereditary," Jefferis said.
To combat the cancer, she decided to have the bilateral mastectomy with reconstructive surgery, a procedure that would remove both breasts.
On Jan. 30, 2014, Jefferis had the surgery; the reconstructive portion gave her temporary implants to help with the psychological effects of the physical changes to her body.
"I wouldn't wake up to being completely flat chested and having to deal with the emotional strain and stress from that," Jefferis said. "But once I healed I had another surgery for permanent implants."
After nearly a year of treatment, she is now cancer free. As a result of early detection she didn't have to go through chemo therapy, radiation or hormone treatment.
In her own experiences she realized the importance of a solid support system. To help encourage others, Jefferis started a support group, "Together in Pink."
The group aims to educate and support those at any stage of recovery; from those diagnosed to survivors. While it's mostly focuses on women, it is open to men as well.
She wanted to start the group simply because there was not a support group for cancer patients, survivors or their supporters here.
"I'm not the only breast cancer survivor, I'm not the only person that went through the treatment and had the surgery," Jefferis said. "I knew that there were others, so why not start one."
"It's a group that provides encouragement, support, education, information," she said. "Even as a breast cancer survivor I still have questions."
Members in the group can serve as mentors to those who are just starting their journey as a breast cancer patient.
"She has been very open and willing to share the highs and lows of what she's gone through with others to help them," Anthony Jefferis, her husband said.
Jefferis explained that she can help those dealing with breast cancer to get over that hump in treatment and encourage them to understand that they have a life beyond breast cancer.
"When you're diagnosed with breast cancer, you are not alone," Jefferis said. "There are people out there who are afraid, they are afraid to talk to anyone about it. They are going at it alone and it doesn't have to happen, you have a breast cancer support group here at Andrews that can help you."
"It's not the end, there's more to your life," Jefferis said. "You can beat it, and with support you can be like me; unstoppable."
For more information about "Together in Pink," please contact Senior Master Sgt. Demetrica Jefferis.
(Tech Sgt Nicholas Kibbey contributed to this story.)