GREAT FALLS — Maria Thom discovered she had breast cancer in May 2024 and is now in remission, sharing her story to encourage others to prioritize regular screenings during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
"I found a big lump, and it was a shock. And I was talking to my boyfriend and he said you need to go get that looked at," Thom said. "I consulted a couple of my physicians and they had said you need to get some more exams and we end up finding out that it was a pretty big tumor. And it was very emotional and I cried for days."
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"I had 16 rounds of chemo, and they made me terribly sick. And I had lost a bunch of weight. And that was the most challenging part, because I just wasn't myself," Thom said.
The cancer required Thom to have both breasts removed, a decision that was emotionally difficult.
"It was very tough because it's what I was given being born, and it was hard to lose a lot of things that you were given naturally growing up," Thom said. "And I've slowly learned to recover from it. And knowing that I'm going to be a brand new me and feel more womanly, getting a new set of breasts."
Carolyn Rutter, a radiation oncologist at Benefis Sletten Cancer Institute, said breast cancer develops in one out of eight women. She noted that new treatment breakthroughs are becoming less physically demanding for patients.
"We are getting better and better at knowing how to treat with medicines, that are very specific to each unique patient's case. And because of that, it means that we have to do less and less to a woman's body in order to safely get rid of the cancer," Rutter said.
Early detection remains crucial in fighting breast cancer, according to Rutter.
"Sometimes we catch it when it's what we call stage zero or DCIS is the name for that ductal carcinoma in situ that is, almost breast cancer once you've caught it just before it became breast cancer. And then we can treat it and nip it in the bud at that point," Rutter said.
Thom emphasized the importance of regular mammograms for all women.
"Definitely go get your mammograms, get yourself checked out - definitely get those exams taken care of," Thom said.
Now in remission, Thom is optimistic about her future and recovery process.
"It feels amazing. It was a long, hard journey for the last year and to look forward once I finish reconstruction, it'll be almost two years from start to finish and I feel amazing, healthy, and can move on in my life," Thom said.
Thom plans to have reconstructive surgery in several months and has returned to work part-time as she continues her recovery.
