This article is part of a series written for Daffodil Month in April, a fundraising initiative run by the Canadian Cancer Society to raise awareness and funds for cancer research and support programs.
Sue Bulloch has spent decades working in healthcare, helping individuals with life-altering illnesses navigate treatment and recovery, but she never thought she'd find herself in the same situation.
Bulloch, a resident of Cranbrook, was diagnosed with stage one breast cancer last year at the age of 58, just one week shy of Christmas.
She got a call from her doctor after a routine mammogram and subsequent biopsy revealed she had cancer. Her lesion was actually discovered completely by accident. The doctors decided to investigate after they saw unusual imaging on her mammogram and it turned out that the suspect area was actually completely normal. Yet the test did reveal cancer elsewhere on her breast.
"They basically said that if we hadn't investigated the initial problematic area, we wouldn't have found the secondary problem spot until the next mammogram likely, and by that time it could by well have spread," she said.
"I was feeling lucky that it was caught so soon and by accident."
Bulloch underwent a double partial mastectomy and a lymphadenectomy in February, and recently met with an oncologist in Kelowna on Apr. 8. She'll begin radiation in May.
Bulloch is using her experience to highlight the importance that consistent screening can play in early detection of cancer. She had no symptoms when she was diagnosed and would not have known she had cancer if not for the biopsy.
"I'm a really big believer in taking every advantage you can of our medical system. Take what's on offer. Screening has proved to have saved hundreds of thousands of lives in Canada."
Bulloch said her treatment from the medical team at the East Kootenay Regional Hospital in Cranbrook has been outstanding, although she would like to see radiation therapy added to the facility's list of available treatments.
There is currently no radiation treatment available at East Kootenay Regional Hospital, and cancer patients living in the region have to travel to Kelowna or Vancouver to access it. For years, the hospital district board has been pushing Interior Health and the provincial government to get radiation therapy included in the planning process for a new oncology and renal department.
"Going to Kelowna for a one, two hour appointment with an oncologist, it means three days off work and two nights in a hotel, plus meals, plus mileage. It's a lot for a simple appointment," said Bulloch.
"The real killer is accommodation," she added. "If you do get cancer and you need radiation, you want to make sure you get it in the fall or the winter, where you're not paying high tourist fees for Airbnbs or hotels in Kelowna. It's a hard pill to swallow to be paying a tourism surtax when you're there as a cancer patient."
Bulloch has critical illness insurance through her job as a rehabilitation services specialist, that helps cover the cost of some of her medical expenses. Not everyone is as lucky.
She explained that middle-income individuals are hit particularly hard, as they often do not have access to services or programs that low-income people qualify for.
"For the working class, we make too much to qualify for these really great services that are offered, but we don't make enough that we can afford to be putting thousands of dollars out."
Bulloch has been using Angel Flight to help transport her to the hospital in Kelowna. The non-profit operates free flights for medical patients multiple times per week, from Canadian Rockies International Airport in Cranbrook.
Bulloch is still recovering from her recent surgery and she's fought a variety of post-operation symptoms like pain, fatigue and infection, but she said that maintaining a positive attitude and being proactive about getting support has made a world of difference.
"Reach out, talk to people who have gone through it. Be knowledgeable as to what to expect at each step of the recovery process. If you know what to expect, it takes a lot of the fear out of what you're doing," she stated. "When people offer to help, take them up on it."
Through talking with her family, she learned that she had other relatives who had battled the disease.
Bulloch has enjoyed a long career as a rehabilitation services specialist with Partners in Canadian Veterans Rehabilitation Services (PCVRS). She helps veterans navigate injuries and illnesses, and intervenes on their behalf to advocate for their needs within the health system. She also identifies gaps in rehabilitation, to help get them back into the workforce. She said that veterans who are diagnosed with cancer, who are already dealing with other mental and physical conditions, often face incredible difficulties.
Prior to this, she worked in early medical intervention for Desjardins, aiding people who were unable to work due to medical issues, ranging from minor conditions like migraines, to cancer and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
If there's one thing that she's learned from her time working with cancer patients, it's that it has far-reaching impacts beyond physical health.
"When you're dealing with illness and injury , it happens to the whole family, not just the individual," she said . "Whatever path you're supporting your client in, you have to take into consideration the whole family unit. Even though cancer is a physical illness, it can have a tremendous psycho-social impact as well that can't be ignored."
