Mom, Runner, Teacher, Survivor | Jackie’s Breast Cancer Journey

Jackie Hellyer

Jackie Hellyer is a mom of three, an avid runner, and a fourth-grade teacher. In 2022, she also became a breast cancer survivor.

Jackie noticed a lump and scheduled a mammogram for July 5, 2021. Shortly after, she was informed by the team at Mon Health Cancer Center that she had HER2-positive, hormone-negative breast cancer. HER2 is a protein that helps cancer cells grow quickly, and these cancers tend to grow and spread faster than other breast cancers.

“Hearing the words, ‘you have breast cancer’ is life changing! It is scary, something no one wants to hear,” she said. “However, there is hope, support, and a team waiting to help you through the toughest chapter of your life.”

Jackie started chemotherapy with Dr. Ihtishaam Qazi, Oncologist, and Dr. James Littles, Radiation Oncologist at Mon Health Cancer Center on September 9. She received 33 rounds of radiation and underwent a double mastectomy in early 2022. She had her final round of chemotherapy and rang the bell on September 9, 2022, one year to the day since her first treatment.

“The team of doctors, nurses, and assistants make you feel at home. As for me, my home for the next year was Mon Health. I felt loved, heard, and confident in my team and treatment plan,” said Jackie. “I chose Mon Health because I didn’t want to be a number; I wanted to be part of a family and that’s exactly what we became.”

Jackie is now back in the classroom with her students, and her colleagues threw a sendoff party with bubbles for her last day of chemotherapy. She is training for her next marathon on October 9 in Chicago, IL. She continues to enjoy the outdoors with her husband, Vic, and their three children. 

“I will be forever thankful for my team at Mon Health for helping me get through this chapter of my life. You can’t choose the journey that life gives you, but you can choose how you handle it by finding light in the darkest time.”

At Mon Health Cancer Center, your fight is our fight. To learn more and schedule a 3D mammogram today, visit MonHealth.com/Mammogram.