“I never thought this would happen to me.”
Caitin Mulvihill, or Katie as she is known to her friends, has always taken care of herself by exercising, eating right and visiting her physician for regular physicals. At age 29, this certified teacher was excitedly looking forward to starting a family with her husband Rich. Then one evening, she felt a lump in her breast while showering. Doubting it could be cancer, as there was no family history and she was so young, she went to her doctor as a precaution. Eleven days before her 30th birthday, Katie was diagnosed with an aggressive form of triple-negative breast cancer, which would require chemotherapy, followed by a bilateral double mastectomy and radiation.
It was December and the holidays were quickly approaching but treatment could not be delayed. “The first time I met my oncologist was on Christmas Eve,” said Katie. “He made me feel safe and secure. He did not overwhelm me, but gave me the reassurance that I was in good hands and I could fight this. He made me feel like I was his only patient.”
Being a teacher of young children, she was unable to work during treatment because of the risk of infection. Still in treatment, Katie is grateful for all of the kind people that she has met and the exceptional services and support that have been available to her through the Cancer Center.