Survivor : Jen Fexis, 59, Nashua . In early 2000, Jen Fexis, a mother of five, had just weaned her youngest child off breastfeeding when she noticed something unusual. Despite no longer nursing, she continued to produce milk — but instead of its usual color, it was brownish.
Working at the St. Joseph Hospital lab at the time, her concerned co-workers urged her to visit the Breast Care Center. Jen made the call and was seen the very same day.
Her husband met her at the center, where she underwent a mammogram and ultrasound. The imaging revealed a small mass. With no family history of cancer, Jen was shocked and deeply frightened, not only for herself but for her husband and their five children.
Fortunately, the mass turned out to be a papilloma, which, though not immediately dangerous, needed to be removed to prevent potential future complications. The relief was palpable. Jen was placed on a rigorous surveillance schedule at the Breast Care Center.
Over the next two years, she underwent multiple mammograms, ultrasounds, and an MRI. Each visit was met with the warmth and empathy of Mary Jane, a constant and comforting presence during a time fraught with anxiety and fear. Though additional masses were detected and removed during this period, all were benign.
Still, the emotional toll of each discovery weighed heavily on Jen and her family. In 2004, Jen underwent what she thought would be her final lumpectomy. Before the procedure, Dr.
Chang performed a localization to pinpoin.