To meet Gloria Charles today and see the smile on her face you would never know that just 4 years ago she was diagnosed with breast cancer. “People are always surprised to learn I had cancer,” says Gloria. “I don’t know what they expect a cancer survivor to look or act like, but I’m proof you can survive breast cancer and lead a healthy life.”
Gloria, a registered nurse and mother of three, who grew up on the Caribbean island of St. Vincent, had always been vigilant about having annual mammograms since turning 50. “Every year my tests came back clean, but in September 2006 they saw something in my scan and asked me to come back for a repeat.”
Gloria had a second mammogram that October, which showed irregularly shaped calcium deposits in her breast tissue, a potential sign of breast cancer. After a subsequent ultrasound revealed several deposits of varying sizes and shapes, she was scheduled for a biopsy to determine if they were cancerous or not. “At that point I started to think ‘OK this is serious’. Coming from a medical background you know a lot and have a tendency to think the worst.”
“The wait to find out if I had cancer was really difficult. There are times when all you want is to be left alone and times when you need to talk to someone.” Gloria confided in two close friends, but didn’t let her family know that something might be wrong because she wanted to be sure before telling them.
“For me, the three weeks I waited to get the results of my biopsy were the hardest. All you can do is hope and pray and try to find a way to go on with your life.” A deeply religious woman, Gloria turned to her faith to help her through this challenging time. “I prayed often and it was my faith in God that gave me the strength to go on.”
When the biopsy results came back that December, Gloria was faced with the devastating news that she had breast cancer. “My first call was to my brother in Grenada, he’s an Anglican Minister, and we’ve always been very close, and after that I told my sisters.”
Gloria was referred to Dr. Hodgson at the Juravinski Cancer Centre who removed one of the lumps and some tissue samples for further testing. “In the back of my mind I kept thinking maybe when the results of the lumpectomy come back it won’t be cancer after all.” The tests, though, confirmed the initial diagnosis and revealed two additional areas where cancer had been found.
“Even though I was upset, I knew I had a decision to make. Dr. Hodgson was very good at explaining my options with the inclusion of statistics and made me feel comfortable.”
Gloria waited until after the Holidays to tell her children she had breast cancer and would undergo a mastectomy. “I knew they would be upset and needed that time to come to terms with what was happening so I could be in a place to support them. I knew I did the right thing in waiting when my son said ‘Mom if you can handle it the way you are, then so can I.’”
That February, Gloria had her mastectomy, a procedure that removed her breast as well as all traces of cancer. Because the disease had been detected early, Gloria did not require any radiation or chemotherapy. “When Dr. Hodgson told me I was cancer free, I just started crying. I was so happy to have a second lease on life, I consider myself one of the lucky ones.”
Her daughter took time off school to help out during her recovery and received tremendous support from friends and her church community. “As a nurse, a mother and the oldest of seven children, having others take care of me was a big adjustment. I have always been the one taking care of people who are sick."
Gloria has since retired from bedside and community nursing, but still lectures as a part-time professor at the McMaster school of nursing and remains involved in Geriatric research at St Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Centre for Ambulatory Health Services. She has also moved to Toronto to be closer to her children and granddaughter.
“Surviving breast cancer hasn’t changed who I am, but it has helped me to focus on the things that are really important to me. I don’t worry about things I can’t change; it’s a waste of energy and I need all the energy I have to stay healthy and enjoy life."
Although she no longer lives in the area, Gloria still comes to the Juravinski Cancer Centre for follow-up appointments with her Oncologist, Dr. Arnold, and speaks very highly of the care she received. “I was treated with respect and empathy and am so happy with the results of my treatment. Everyone, from the physicians to the volunteers, has been wonderful.
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