For seasoned political consultant Lashelle Scott, advocacy is important. From supporting working families to empowering victims of sexual harassment, Lashelle has spent her life advocating for others. However, when she was diagnosed with stage III HER2-positive breast cancer in February 2021, she immediately went from advocating for others to advocating for herself.
Confronting Cancer
After feeling pain when trying to lift her arm in the shower, Lashelle made an appointment with her OB-GYN, who scheduled her for a 3D mammogram out of concern for her lymph nodes. When her mammogram and subsequent biopsy results revealed that she was facing an aggressive form of breast cancer, Lashelle began searching for a clinical team that would care for her as a person – not just treat her cancer. This search led her Jamie Terry, M.D., MHCE, FACS, breast surgeon at Texas Breast Specialists–Houston Medical Center, Houston Memorial City, and Katy, and Gury Doshi, M.D., medical oncologist at Texas Oncology–Houston Memorial City and Katy.
“LaShelle arrived in my office for initial consultation shortly after learning of her breast cancer diagnosis. She listened carefully and openly shared her fears as I explained that surgery was not my recommended first line of treatment. She courageously pushed past her fears surrounding chemotherapy allowing the team to help her through the recommended treatment plan,” said Dr. Terry.
Together with Dr. Doshi, Dr. Terry explained Lashelle’s treatment options, and her care team soon started her on preoperative chemotherapy. In August, Lashelle underwent a mastectomy and is currently undergoing additional therapy for the treatment of her breast cancer
“Lashelle had a locally advanced breast cancer that required treatment to shrink her cancer before her surgery. Her preoperative targeted therapy did decrease the size of the tumor in her breast, but also caused side effects including diarrhea, and changes in her electrolytes. She went through many months of treatment just to get to surgery. She was honest with us about how she was feeling, and our multidisciplinary team of doctors, nurses, NPs, and social workers tried to support her through her treatment,” said Dr. Doshi.
Finding Support
Though her cancer journey continues to have ups and downs, Lashelle fights hard to maintain an optimistic outlook, but she’s thankful to have her 9-year-old rescue dog, Eythal, by her side. She also credits her care team at Texas Oncology for helping keep her spirits up. Though Lashelle admits that finding the energy and drive to fight while undergoing cancer treatment isn’t always easy, knowing that her physicians and nurses truly care about her helps give her strength.
“When I’m tired and want to quit treatment, the team calls me every day – sometimes twice a day – they won’t let me give up,” Lashelle says. “They advocate for me, and they make me feel important.”
Always an advocate for others, even during cancer treatment, Lashelle hopes that her story will inspire other women to take charge of their health and maintain their routine screenings for breast cancer. She says that this experience has reminded her that you are your own best advocate when it comes to your health but finding a care team that will advocate for you, too, can have a positive impact on your outlook.
In Texas, more than 19,177 new cases of breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in 2021. For more information about breast cancer and the resources available to patients, visit TexasOncology.com.