Detecting Breast Cancer | Video

Michelle San Miguel | 10/12/2012

Myla Wescom is just where she`s wanted to be for decades. "Ever since third grade I pretty much knew what I wanted to do," she said.

The tough part of her work week starts after she leaves work. Every other week Myla goes to the hospital for cancer therapy. Almost two years ago, Myla noticed her breast was swollen. Doctors began treating it as an infection, but on April 8, 2011 they discovered it was breast cancer

"It`s not a date that you want to remember, but it`s just so set in stone and so emotional you know kind of like when you have your children- you never, ever forget their birthday because that`s such an emotional and good time," Wescom said.

Myla has an aggressive form of inflammatory breast cancer that`s spread to a single bone in her back.

The American Cancer Society recommends that women 40 and older receive a mammogram ever year. But Myla`s glad she didn`t wait until she turned 40. Doctors discovered she had breast cancer when she was 39 all because Myla knew something didn`t feel right.

"So many women come in and say I felt a lump so can you imagine. I have several women that have felt lumps and come in but if they never did self exams they would never find it," said Dr. Thandiwe Gray, an oncologist at Sanford Medical Center.

Wescom said, "Know your body and know when there`s a little bit of a change and be aggressive enough to go talk to the doctors about it."

Myla will have to continue cancer therapy for the rest of her life, but she`ll take that if it means being able to do what she loves.

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