Be Your Own Hero + Biggest Advocate - Cindy Hanson
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Cindy Hanson and her husband, Karl, live east of Kirkman, Iowa. Before retirement, Cindy worked at CDS and served as the receptionist for Harlan Vision Clinic. The couple has four grown children, ten grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Cindy enjoys volunteer work, and she and Karl like to travel locally and take bus trips across the United States.
Cindy diligently undergoes yearly mammograms at Myrtue Medical Clinic. After her annual appointment in November 2023, she was called back for an ultrasound, which led to a biopsy on the same day at the request of the radiologist. A few days later, after the biopsy results were completed, she received a call from her doctor's nurse informing her that she had stage 1 cancer. Drawing inspiration from a friend who had faced a similar situation, Cindy opted for treatment at Methodist Hospital in Omaha, with Dr. Reilly as her surgeon. Michele Weis, Myrtue’s External Nurse Navigator, assisted her in arranging the necessary procedures and appointments.
In January 2024, Cindy had an appointment with Dr. Reilly, who scheduled her for biopsies of additional suspicious areas. These procedures were conducted at Methodist Women's Hospital in West Omaha. The results showed one of the concerning areas was cancerous. On February 6th, she underwent a lumpectomy at Methodist Hospital, and had several lymph nodes under her arm removed. In April, she completed 20 radiation treatments at the St. Anthony Cancer Center in Carroll, IA, attending five days a week for four weeks. Following the radiation, she began a five-year medication regimen.
Cindy is required to see the surgeon every six months for the next three years and to continue her yearly mammograms at Myrtue's Diagnostic Imaging. At her latest appointment in late August, everything was looking good.
Cindy strongly urges all women to participate in their yearly mammograms, emphasizing that she would have been unaware of her cancer without them, as it did not cause any pain or illness. She admits to not performing self-exams, making the screening mammogram particularly crucial in her case. Cindy cannot speak highly enough of the Diagnostic Team at Myrtue Medical Clinic, praising their efficiency, professionalism, and concern for patients, and expressing gratitude for their presence in Shelby County.
