Estero woman beats breast cancer twice

Reporter: Taylor Wirtz Writer: Matias Abril
Published: Updated:
breast cancer

A mastectomy 20 years ago stopped a woman’s breast cancer. Then, this past July, she had a double mastectomy.

Cheri Rickenbrode has now beat breast cancer twice.

And after 25 sessions of radiation, she just got to do something huge.

Rickenbrode had always been responsible when it came to getting her mammograms. She started early, due to breast cancer running in her family.

“When I was 39, I went in for a mammogram, and it came back with calcifications, so I had a biopsy, and it came out breast cancer,” Rickenbrode said.

Rickenbrode had a mastectomy on one side and took Tamoxifen, a hormone therapy drug, for five years.

All was well for 15 years, until last spring.

“I felt a lump probably early May, above my mastectomy scar, and I thought that doesn’t seem right,” Rickenbrode said.

The breast cancer returned.

But Rickenbrode knew what she had to do and had a double mastectomy, then two dozen rounds of radiation.

Rickenbrode finished her final and 25th round of radiation Tuesday, then rang the victory bell with her family by her side.

Rickenbrode told WINK News she celebrated her victory over breast cancer by popping a bottle of champagne with her family.

She wants women everywhere to let her story be a reminder of the importance of getting your routine mammogram.

Copyright ©2024 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.