Regina’s Story: Don’t Wait, Get It Checked

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month—a time to remember that sometimes, a simple decision to get checked can change everything.

For Regina, it started with something she almost talked herself out of worrying about.

On April 17, 2026, Regina saw Natalie Hale, APRN, for a breast exam after noticing a large lump in her right breast. Regina had a history of fibrocystic breasts and was accustomed to feeling lumps. She had never experienced breast pain, and she had no family history of breast cancer. But something in her told her, “You better get that looked at, just to be safe.” So she did.

Just six days later, Regina was at Spring View Hospital for a diagnostic mammogram and ultrasound. Laurie Carrico and Sarah Beth Price performed her testing, providing the professionalism and compassion that would become such a meaningful part of Regina’s journey.

Regina returned to work at Spring View Industrial Choice Healthcare after her appointment. About two hours later, the radiology team called with critical findings and asked to speak with Natalie. The results were concerning. Regina’s imaging was classified as BI-RADS 5, the highest level of suspicion, and biopsies were recommended for both breasts.

“I knew that day that it was bad,” Regina remembers. “It was just a gut-wrenching feeling.”

The very next morning, she saw Dr. James Smith at Spring View Surgical Associates. He performed his own ultrasound and calmly walked Regina through what needed to happen next. Within days, she was in the operating room at Spring View Hospital for a biopsy and lumpectomy.

“I was so thankful for my Spring View family for getting the ball rolling and trying to get answers as quickly as possible.”

Then came the words that no one ever wants to hear.

Cancer.

When Regina and her husband, Robbie, sat together in Dr. Smith’s office and learned that she did, in fact, have breast cancer, everything changed.

“I could probably never really explain the feeling,” Regina said. “Your mind immediately goes to the worst-case scenario. I prayed over and over for God to please spare my life. I was willing to go through anything if he would just let me live through it.”

Regina was diagnosed with a combination of invasive lobular and ductal carcinoma. Her cancer was estrogen- and progesterone-positive and HER2-negative—characteristics that meant it was treatable. But there was still a long road ahead.

Regina would undergo additional surgeries, including a sentinel lymph node biopsy and procedures on both breasts. Three lymph nodes were removed from her right armpit, and thankfully, they showed no evidence of cancer. The left breast was also negative. Still, Dr. Smith needed to go back into the right breast to remove additional tissue and obtain clear margins. A third surgery would ultimately be the one that changed everything.

Clear margins.

The cancer had been removed. Regina's oncotype score came back at 12, meaning chemotherapy was not recommended. She would instead complete radiation treatments and begin hormone-blocking therapy. She finished 20 rounds of radiation at Taylor Regional Oncology on August 10.

Today, Regina looks back on those months as a whirlwind of fear, uncertainty, prayer, and hope. And through it all, she says she never felt alone.

“I could never say enough about the care that I received throughout my entire journey,” Regina said. “I was so loved and cared for by every health care worker that I encountered.”

From the team at Spring View Hospital who helped get answers quickly, to Dr. Smith and the surgical team, to her oncology and radiation teams, Regina is grateful for every person who cared for her along the way. She is especially grateful for her husband, who was beside her at every appointment and every surgery.

“It was a very scary time for both of us, not just me,” she said. “He took such good care of me.”

Regina is looking forward with gratitude. She will continue follow-up care, including regular scans and appointments with her physicians.

“Every single day I thank God for the day,” she said. “Each day is a blessing.”

And now, Regina has a message she wants every woman to hear—especially during Breast Cancer Awareness Month:

Don’t wait.

Don’t assume a lump is harmless because you have always had lumpy breasts. Don’t wait for pain. Don’t convince yourself that breast cancer could not happen to you because you have no family history. Regina had no family history of breast cancer. She had no breast pain. She simply found a lump.

“Don’t sit on that lump you find,” Regina says. “Get it looked at, even if you have a history of lumpy breasts like me.”

Her story is a powerful reminder that early detection matters—and that taking the time to schedule your annual mammogram and speak with your healthcare provider about any changes you notice can be one of the most important things you do for yourself.

This October, during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Regina’s message is simple: Don’t wait. Make the appointment. Get the mammogram. If something doesn’t feel right, get it checked. Because sometimes, one appointment can change everything.