By Anna Marie Tomczyk
Amanda Theel Joyce
Amanda Theel Joyce recently marked her first anniversary as a breast cancer survivor. For the cyber security analyst with the Strategic Cybersecurity Analysis and Research Group in the Strategic Security Sciences Division, it was a long, tough year involving surgery, chemotherapy, reconstructive surgery and recovery.
The year taught her to be grateful for the road ahead with bonus time with her two-year-old son, husband and their pit bull.
“I am grateful that while physically I am not the same, I’m emotionally stronger than ever and I can use this terrible year to my advantage,” Joyce said. “I’ve seen the worst days, but now I appreciate the good days so much more.”
Joyce is among thousands of breast cancer survivors recognized during October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a health campaign promoted by the National Breast Cancer Foundation Inc. and others.
Each year, about 252,710 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,500 will die. Although breast cancer in men is rare, an estimated 2,470 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer and approximately 460 will die each year, according to the foundation.
Argonne also recognizes the importance of providing online resources about breast cancer and other health matters so employees can make informed choices. Argonne’s Employee Assistance Program has extensive articles and data about breast cancer, symptoms, quality of life, treatments and more.
After Joyce’s older sister was diagnosed with breast cancer, caused by a hereditary gene mutation called BRCA1, Joyce was tested for the same mutation in 2016. She had it, too. For the next year, Joyce had doctor exams and tests. She then had biopsies of masses found in December 2016 and August 2017, when she was diagnosed with non-invasive ductal carcinoma, stage 1b. The stages range from 1 a-b to 4 a-b, with 4b being the worst.
By September 2017, Joyce had a bilateral mastectomy and, a month later, a nipple removal procedure. In December 2017, she started three months of chemotherapy and lost her straight hair. Afterward, she was given a clean bill of health and had reconstructive surgery in April 2018. She has since had follow-up exams, which were good, and her hair returned with curls.
“I was determined to kick this in the butt as quickly as possible,” said Joyce. “My motto: There is absolutely no pity parties around me. If you need to sulk, do it somewhere else. The only thing I want to hear is how we are going to beat this. That sounds selfish but, honestly, it was the only way to cope with such a large blow in the first place.”
Joyce feels strongly that if you find something wrong, you should advocate for yourself. You have a right to ask for a second, third or fourth medical opinion.
“I cannot tell you enough how much I have had to argue with insurance or doctors to just prove a point that this is my body and my health that I’m entrusting in them. My opinion matters and should be heard. No one knows you better than you. You have to speak up. You have to advocate. You have to be the change to make a better life for you.”