Linda Sadler: “I’m a perfect example of how important mammograms are”

When Linda Sadler of Anna, Illinois, went in for her routine mammogram at SoutheastHEALTH this past spring, she didn’t anticipate having any problems. Although her mother had breast cancer when she was younger, Sadler’s own mammograms during the past decade had never detected any issues.

This year, it was different: doctors found a suspicious area in her right breast.

“Had I waited another year [to get a mammogram], mine would have ultimately been even worse,” Sadler says. “I’m the perfect example of how important [routine] mammograms are. Last year, mine was clear, nothing there, and this year, I had an aggressive cancer growing fast.”

Because her cancer was aggressive and growing fast, Sadler had a mastectomy on March 25. She was able to recover at home and thought that because she had chosen to have a mastectomy, she would not have to have any further treatment.

When her test came back, however, it was recommended she see a radiation oncologist. The oncologist told her what her odds for survival would be if she chose to do nothing, if she took only hormone therapy and if she chose to do hormone therapy and radiation treatments. Sadler chose to do both hormone therapy and take 25 radiation treatments; the most difficult part of them, she says, was the two weeks of recovery after the radiation was over. Sadler will take hormonal therapy pills for the next five years.

Although there were many weeks Sadler had up to seven medical appointments in one week, she is now on a six-month appointment schedule. To celebrate, her family surprised her with a cruise to Mexico, Belize and Honduras, which they will go on in 2020. It’s something that’s always been on Sadler’s bucket list.

Sadler credits her family, her faith in God and the support of people letting her know they were praying for her with helping her get through her battle with cancer.

There were other incredible moments of provision along Sadler’s journey, too. One of them took the form of being reunited with nurse Angie Tygett who had helped Sadler through some of the hardest days of her life when her daughter was still born and when Sadler was told her son also would not live more than 30 years ago. Thankfully, he did and is now 32 years old; Sadler hadn’t seen Tygett since. One day while waiting in the cancer center, Tygett was there as an emotional support for patients and approached Sadler. Tygett was able to be a support for Sadler throughout her treatments.

“I told her she is like my angel; God knew I would need her to get through this, and there she was,” Sadler recalls. “That's just one of those things that you feel like somebody put her there.”

Throughout her journey with cancer, Sadler has learned many things. One of them is her own strength.

“I am stronger than I thought I was,” Sadler says. “You can do things that you don't think you can do when you don't have a choice.”

Maintaining a positive attitude helped Sadler make it through trying times; this is the wisdom she offers to others facing a similar situation.

“Try to stay positive,” Sadler says. “I just always tried to think that this is something I have go through in my life, this isn’t going to define my life. This is temporary. And there were very tough days, there were hard, hard days. … Try to keep a positive attitude and surround yourself with positive people. I think that is important, too.”