Christine Driskill’s breast cancer diagnosis came as a shock – she was young and healthy, and she knew she was not a carrier of the BRCA “breast cancer gene.”
She needed an oncologist who could not only provide expert care, but who could help her process her diagnosis and navigate her options.
Regional One Health Cancer Care breast surgical oncologist Dr. Ashley Hendrix did just that, and Christine is grateful for her skill, compassion, and personalized approach.
Three years ago, Christine Driskill had plenty of reasons not to worry about breast cancer.
She was just 35 with no family history. She was active and healthy, having just run a 10K. She was barely a year out from breastfeeding her second child. And, most importantly, due to genetic testing she knew she was negative for the BRCA “breast cancer gene.”
“I thought I had no chance of getting breast cancer. It wasn’t something I worried about,” Christine said. “I felt a lump when I was changing clothes, and I happened to have my annual appointment the following week. Even my doctor said not to worry – it had gotten big too fast, it was too soft, I was too young.”
But a mammogram and biopsy led to a diagnosis of stage 3 breast cancer that had spread to the lymph nodes: “I had to call the radiologist back the next day and say, ‘I need you to say all that again,’” Christine said. “I didn’t believe it.”
Christine not only needed expert care, she needed an oncologist who could help her process the shocking diagnosis and work through her treatment options. She found exactly that with Ashley Hendrix, MD, FACS, breast surgical oncologist with Regional One Health Cancer Care and assistant professor of surgery at University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
“The scariest part is when you don’t know what the path looks like,” Christine said. “When you’re in treatment, you know you’re doing something and you can put your energy into it. But that first appointment is the absolute scariest – everything is a giant, terrifying question mark.”
Dr. Hendrix gave Christine all the time she needed, answering every question and making it clear she wanted to understand Christine’s goals for treatment and life in general.
Christine Driskill was only 35 when she was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. Her diagnosis came as a shock, and she said Dr. Ashley Hendrix and her team helped her navigate her care and select the best treatment option.
“We were in her office for three hours – the person who picked up my kids from school ended up having them past dinner!” Christine said. “Dr. Hendrix sat with us until every possible question was answered. She walked us through the whole process and helped me do the soul-searching to discover what my goals were.”
Dr. Hendrix said it is important to help patients become active participants in their care.
“I am not the center portion of this – the patient is the center,” she said. “Patients want to be a partner in their care and not just be told what to do, and I want to give them the knowledge to do that. I think knowledge is powerful in how we control our fear.”
Dr. Hendrix gave Christine a clear outline of her options and supported her to make the choice that was best for her and her family.
In Christine’s case, the biology of her cancer and her personal goals led to an aggressive approach: a full mastectomy, chemotherapy before and after surgery, radiation, and ongoing hormone therapy and protein inhibitor medications to prevent recurrence.
Dr. Hendrix also helped Christine navigate her options for reconstruction, and Christine ultimately saw a plastic surgeon for a DIEP flap reconstruction, which uses a patient’s own tissue to rebuild the breasts.
Christine is grateful for Dr. Hendrix’s skill as a surgeon and her focus on supporting patients.
“One of the first conversations I had was with her nurse navigator, and it was a little bit, ‘Woe is me, why is this happening to me?’” Christine said. “She told me to change that to, ‘Why am I choosing to fight this?’ For me, it’s so I can see my kids grow up. That was the centering piece.”
Dr. Hendrix also helped Christine continue to live her life during treatment.
“Cancer is part of her journey, but it doesn’t define her – she defines herself,” Dr. Hendrix said. “We talked about what was important to her to make sure she could keep doing those things. At the same time, we normalized that this is a stressful time – that it’s OK to cry and to grieve.”
Dr. Hendrix’s team connects patients with the resources they need, such as help finding support groups and therapy, nutrition and exercise support, you name it.
After her successful treatment, Christine is advocating for other women to pay attention to their breast health. “If something feels off, find out about the options you can explore and push for that next step,” she said.
For Christine, that support helped her enjoy time with her son, 9, and daughter, 5. It helped her keep exercising and traveling. It allowed her to give herself the Monday after chemo to rest and watch Downton Abbey …then reengage Tuesday with a standing date to walk with friends.
“Dr. Hendrix told me people who continue to live life have the best results,” Christine said. “If your life is just treatment, that’s hard. If you plan other experiences, you have something to focus on.”
Now, as she approaches her three-year “cancer-versary,” Christine is sticking to that mindset as she sees Dr. Hendrix for monitoring and ongoing care. She is also using her experience to protect her family – her daughter will start mammograms at age 25 – and inspire other women to be vigilant.
“One of the biggest things I want other women to do is make sure you’re talking to your doctor about your risk and getting a breast exam from a professional, even if you’re in your 20s or 30s and not having annual mammograms yet,” she said. “Advocate for yourself. If something feels off, find out about the options you can explore and push for that next step.”
And for anyone who receives the type of shocking news Christine endured three years ago, she has one more piece of advice: find a doctor and medical team you can trust with your life.
“If you don’t have a medical team that has your back and you can trust, the whole experience is going to be filled with so much doubt, and it will be a much harder experience,” she said. “With Dr. Hendrix, I knew I was in great hands and she had my best interest at heart.”