Janice Hidalgo
Annual mammogram finds fast-growing breast cancer
“Even if only one person who hears my story gets their mammogram, then I am comfortable having shared my breast cancer experience. Women need to get their annual mammogram so that cancer can be found at an early stage, like mine,” said Janice Hidalgo. “I shudder to think what could have happened if I’d neglected having my mammogram this year.”
Janice lives in Anchorage and works at Alaska Regional Hospital. For eight years, this spunky 69-year-old was the Services Coordinator for the Facilities Department, and she recently retired—sort of. She’s still working part-time as needed, and received the news about her stage 1 breast cancer just before the department luncheon celebrating her retirement.
“I always get my annual mammogram, but I was a little late this year—May 31st,” Janice explained. “Every year, including last year, I’ve been given a clean bill of health; but not this year.”
Janice was called back in for an ultrasound and then a biopsy. By that point, she felt sure she had cancer. On June 22, the doctor confirmed the diagnosis.
“That was a difficult day. I had my big cry, and that’s really the only time I’ve cried about this. The hardest part was going home alone afterward. I’m a widow, and I’ve really missed having my husband for support. That said, I am very fortunate for the continual support from family and friends.”
Janice lost her husband in 2018. That was the first in a series of four deaths within her immediate family that happened over a four-year period, and Janice did not want to add a cancer diagnosis to her family’s misfortunes.
“It was really hard to tell my sons about the cancer diagnosis; we’ve been through so much already”. I waited to tell them until after I had spoken with my surgeon and had more information about tests, surgery, and subsequent treatments. It was emotionally stressful to share that with the people in my life. Conversely, it’s not easy for the people that care about you to hear you say, ‘I’ve got cancer.’” A cancer diagnosis is scary for all concerned.
Watch Janice's storyTake Me to Alaska Regional — surgery and treatment with the home team
After diagnosis, treatment plans fell into place quickly. With the assistance and coordination of her doctor’s office, referrals were sent and a care team was quickly pulled together. Kara, Alaska Regional’s Oncology Nurse Navigator, contacted Janice and was available to assist and answer questions about the process of hospitalization and what would come next. Just eight days after returning from a previously planned trip to Europe to visit extended family members, Janice had surgery to remove the nearly one-inch tumor (20 mm) from her left breast.
“My whole team was wonderful. And I’m not just saying that because I work there,” said Janice. “When asked by my surgeon where I wanted to have the surgery, I said I wanted to go where “everybody knows my name and I have friends.”
Tell your wife, mother, girlfriend, aunt, sister and neighbor
Janice still must undergo targeted radiation therapy and will take hormone suppressants to reduce the chance of recurrence. But she’s grateful that the cancer was caught early and had not spread, something she attributes solely to her habit of getting annual mammograms.
“I didn’t feel the tumor. Even though it was almost an inch in size, I couldn’t feel it through my dense breast tissue. Because dense tissue is more firm, fibrous, and lumpy, it was more difficult for me to discern an abnormality or lump. I needed a mammogram and thank goodness I got it.”
As a survivor, Janice is passionate about spreading the word about breast cancer and the need for mammograms.
“Even men need to be aware of breast cancer because they can get it too,” advised Janice. “A mammogram is a wonderful diagnostic tool. It’s non-invasive and overall is usually minimally painful, just uncomfortable. That old adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is so true relative to breast cancer discovery and treatment. Please make it a habit to get a mammogram every year!”
