Caroline Hammat
As the mobile BreastScreen SA van prepares its biannual visit to Millicent two local women have spoken to The South Eastern Times encouraging others to book for their scans.
In 2022 Karen Duncan had booked in early for her mobile van scan and was one of the first to have her appointment before heading off with her husband Scott for a holiday.
“We were gone for two weeks and were out the back of New South Wales, just south of Lightning Ridge when I got a phone call,” she said.
“They had found an anomaly on my screening and asked if I could come to Adelaide for further investigation.”
The couple were prepared to travel to Adelaide the next day if needed but were told it was not necessary and to enjoy the rest of their holiday.
An appointment was made for the week of their return.
Ms Duncan had already been called back once before after a previous scan required further investigation.
At that time a small cyst of little concern was found and she was expecting her follow up tests this time to also be clear of cancer.
“When I went to Adelaide for my follow-up appointment I saw another lady from Millicent who had been called back as well,” she said.
“We sat there a bit dumbfounded, looked at each other and we just had a chat which was nice.
Unfortunately Ms Duncan’s tests required a biopsy and inconclusive results led to further testing with Doctor Bill McLeay.
“Doctor McLeay looked at it and he couldn’t feel anything abnormal, but he did say ‘I’m going to do a carbon tracking to check’.
“So we did the carbon tracking, I had a little piece taken out and he rang me the next week to say it was breast cancer.”
The diagnosis led to surgery and included the removal of lymph nodes and a partial mastectomy.
Once Ms Duncan’s surgical wound had healed, radiation therapy followed.
A plan for her therapy was created by a radiation oncologist which allowed Ms Duncan to return home to Millicent each weekend.
“I chose to be in Adelaide for my therapy,” she said.
“I stayed with a girlfriend which was really lucky and we got to spend some time together.”
Ms Duncan underwent four weeks of daily treatments including an early treatment on Friday and a later one on Monday to accommodate her weekend trips home.
“It is tiring, and it affects your immune system and I would get sick.”
Ms Duncan’s treatment ended at the beginning of November 2022 and she was told it would take about six weeks to start feeling better.
“It wasn’t until the start of 2023 that I started to feel on top of things.”
“The breast screens are something I had regularly and I’m very thankful I could do something local and have the breastscreen van here.”
It was November 2022 when Millicent Cancer Support Group (MCSG) secretary Karla Werchon discovered her own breast lump after a car door hit her.
“The car door flung back and hit me at work and I was like ‘that really hurt’ anyway I went back to work and didn’t think any more of it” she said.
“A few nights later I rolled over in bed and it really hurt, I thought that’s not right, and instantly found a lump.
Ms Werchon wasted no time in getting the lump checked at the Medical Clinic Millicent and she was sent to Mount Gambier for scans and biopsies and then to Doctor Bill McLeay who confirmed she had breast cancer.
“I went to visit him, he was amazing to me from the very first appointment,” she said
“Mum came with me and he was so kind and understanding to mum.”
Although Ms Werchon’s lump was not found during her previous scan, her scan history, which began when she turned 40, was a valuable source of information for doctors.
Ms Werchon had high praise for the assistance she received throughout her diagnosis.
“I was so thankful for the services here in town,” she said.
“The Millicent Hospital helped me out with an incident I had when I came home at Christmas.
“They were amazing and the nurses incredible.
“Dr Sabio and the medical clinic were wonderful, when you are sick they are there to back you.”
During her treatment Ms Werchon and her mum stayed at the Cancer Council’ Greenhill Lodge which the MCSG has donated funds to for accommodation upgrades.
BreastScreen SA is returning to the Millicent Civic and Arts Centre carpark from May 23 until July 3.
Bookings are available at bookings.breastscreen.sa.gov.au/
