In May of 2015, Kim Mosier noticed a spot on the skin of her breast, never thinking it would be anything more. Her obstetrician gynecologist recommended she schedule a mammogram and dermatology consultation, but Kim decided to put it off.
Several months later at her annual dermatology visit, a biopsy revealed Kim had ductal carcinoma, the earliest stage of breast cancer.
“I immediately reached over to my purse, grabbed my prescription with the phone number for my mammogram, and scheduled it as soon as I was told I had cancer,” said Kim.
Uncertainty About the Future
Shortly after, Kim went to a nearby cancer center for an ultrasound, mammogram, and another biopsy. In February 2016, the mother of three little boys was diagnosed with estrogen and HER2 positive breast cancer. After finding out she had breast cancer, a million thoughts ran through her head.
“I thought, ‘Is treatment going to work? How will my body react to this? Am I still going to be here?’ At that point, everything was so unknown. I was getting second and even third opinions on treatment options, and I remember asking for a sign that day,” said Kim.
A Feeling of Home
Later that night, Kim spoke by phone with Sherrie Thomas, M.D., FACS, the physician who had initially diagnosed her and recently moved to Texas Breast Specialists–Austin North.
“Dr. Thomas and her team made me feel like home, like I was a part of their family. She spent her time outside of work answering all of my questions and listening to my concerns. I knew in my heart of hearts that they were going to fight for me,” said Kim. “To me, this was the sign I was looking for.”
Kim began six rounds of chemotherapy, receiving one round every three weeks. Three weeks after her last round, Kim’s scans came back clear. Although she was deemed in remission, Kim knew she wanted to do everything in her power to lower her risk of recurrence. In July 2016, she underwent a double mastectomy and radiation post-surgery five days a week for six weeks.
“I wanted to know that if my cancer ever came back, I did everything I could,” said Kim.
The Raw Reality of Cancer
Reflecting on her journey, Kim recalls many times when cancer impacted her mental health, feeling embarrassed about the changes in her body and frustrated with why cancer was her new reality.
“You feel completely deformed. When I had my mastectomy, I still didn’t have hair, so afterwards I was stripped of the two most prominent features on a woman. You’re just staring at yourself with tubes coming out of your chest. It was a really hard pill to swallow,” said Kim.
Even having the steadfast support of her family, Kim felt a sense of insecurity being around her family – especially her three boys.
“I’ll never forget on Easter Sunday, I had to shave my head, which ultimately pushed me to tell my kids I was sick. I tried to hide my disease for so long, never saying the word ‘cancer’ because I didn’t want them to associate it with death. I wanted to protect them and didn’t want them to worry about mom,” said Kim.
Discovering a Newfound Admiration
Throughout treatment, Kim began to slowly discover a newfound love for her body. She remembers being told by other women who were also in treatment for cancer how amazing she looked and that she had a “glow” to her. She soon realized the power of hope, and that if you bring positivity to the world, it will always bring it back to you.
“Cancer doesn’t care who you are. I was the little guy, and it still chose me. I remember sitting in the chemo room looking around at the amazing women around me. None of us signed up to get breast cancer, but they empowered me even during times it felt difficult to love myself,” said Kim.
Today, Kim strives to be a source of encouragement to women fighting breast cancer, including the impact it can have afterwards.
“My story is strength. I now know why God put me in this place and why he gave me cancer. It allowed me to become a part of this amazing group of survivors that I wouldn’t have otherwise,” said Kim.
For more information on breast cancer and screenings, visit Texas Breast Specialists.