When Navy Veteran Missina Schallus chose to have a double mastectomy<\/a> (removal of breast tissue) in 2023, she didn\u2019t have a breast cancer<\/a> diagnosis, but she had a gut feeling due to her personal and family history.\u00a0<\/p>\n That decision, and her gut instinct, likely saved her life.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI had been going through high-risk monitoring for years,\u201d she said, due to her previous cancers, radiation to her neck and chest, and her mother\u2019s history. \u201cEvery mammogram led to another biopsy. My last one? Seven biopsies. I just couldn\u2019t live in that constant cycle of fear and uncertainty anymore.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Missina served 21 years in the Navy as a Yeoman-Flag Writer, rising to the rank of Chief. \u201cI was headed down a path of trouble before I enlisted. The Navy gave me purpose, structure and a second family,\u201d she said. \u201cIt shaped who I am and helped carry me through everything, even cancer.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n In 2023, Schallus had a mastectomy at the Washington D.C. VA Medical Center. Her care team included what she termed \u201ca team of angels.\u201d<\/p>\n A few weeks later, her doctor called with unexpected news: pathology showed early-stage breast cancer<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cShe told me she was proud of me, for listening to my body, for advocating for myself,\u201d Schallus said. \u201cThat moment was validating and overwhelming all at once. I didn\u2019t have to go through chemo or radiation because we had already removed the cancer during the mastectomy.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Schallus describes her VA care as nothing short of extraordinary.\u00a0<\/p>\n VA plastic surgeons performed her breast implant procedure. Physician Assistant Kim Callaway \u201cheld my hand when I cried. She took every call, answered every message, talked me through every fear,\u201d she said. \u201cMy nurse, Seblewongel Tessema, greeted me every time with warmth and asked about my kids. They didn\u2019t just treat my diagnosis\u2014they treated me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n A few months after surgery, Schallus had an emergency with her breast implant. It was the Friday after Thanksgiving, and she was out of town. She called Callaway in a panic.\u00a0<\/p>\n The experience led to physical and emotional challenges, including severe depression. \u201cI was crying 10 times a day, trying to work full time and be a present mom,\u201d she said. \u201cI just couldn\u2019t see the light.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Her VA providers continued to support her. They listened, adjusted her care and were there for her whenever she needed them.\u00a0They helped get the emergency taken care of.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is no cure for breast cancer\u2019s emotional toll,\u201d she said. \u201cBut when you have a team that validates your feelings, listens to your concerns and helps you reclaim your identity, it makes all the difference.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Her story is one of resilience, but also one of learning to accept help. \u201cAs a woman Veteran, there\u2019s this pressure to be strong all the time,\u201d she said. \u201cBut I\u2019ve learned that asking for help is strength. Vulnerability is courage.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Now, she sees survivorship as not just surviving cancer but choosing to truly live after it. \u201cI\u2019m embracing my new normal. I\u2019ve found beauty in my scars, in my story, in this next chapter,\u201d she said. She is now a six-time\u2014four-different cancers\u2014survivor (Hodgkin lymphoma, melanoma, papillary thyroid, and now breast cancer).\u00a0<\/p>\n To other women Veterans, Schallus offers this: \u201cListen to your gut. You know your body better than anyone. Advocate fiercely for yourself, and surround yourself with providers who truly see you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n She encourages women Veterans to stay on top of their preventive care, especially mammograms and screenings<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m still here because I had a team that didn\u2019t just treat my cancer, they helped me heal,\u201d she added.\u00a0<\/p>\n We encourage all women Veterans to talk to their provider about breast cancer risk. Learn which preventive screenings are right for you and seek support if you\u2019re diagnosed.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n VA provides personalized care that supports your physical, mental, emotional and social well-being. Your VA health care team gets to know you as a whole person, focusing on what matters to you most.\u00a0<\/p>\n VA offers breast cancer services, including:<\/p>\n These are available either at a VA medical facility or through a community provider.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n If you are diagnosed with breast cancer, VA offers full oncology services<\/a>, including imaging, surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and access to clinical trials. Your mental health needs will also be supported by your VA health care team.\u00a0<\/p>\n Schallus\u2019s story is unique due to her high risk for breast cancer, but all women should stay up to date with recommended screening. One in 8 women<\/a> will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and early detection improves survival<\/a>.<\/p>\n VA recommends that you begin getting mammograms at age 40 and continue screening every other year through age 74. You may choose to be screened annually, or after age 74, after discussing risks and benefits with your provider.\u00a0If you are less than 40 years of age with a personal history of military deployment in support of certain contingency operations and periods, you may be eligible to receive a mammogram through the Service ACT<\/a>.\u00a0 For more information, see\u00a0Breast Cancer Screening for Veterans with Toxic Exposure<\/a>.<\/p>\n Mammograms are available at over 80 VA locations or through community providers.\u00a0<\/p>\n Learn more about breast cancer screening and resources<\/a> at www.womenshealth.va.gov. You could also check out this video about breast cancer screening for women Veterans<\/a>. We invite you to contact the Women Veterans Call Center for free and confidential support for this and other VA health care questions. Call or text 855-829-6636 on weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. ET or Saturdays 8:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. ET.<\/p>\n\u201cThe Navy saved my life first. Then VA did it again\u201d\u00a0<\/h2>\n
\u201cThey saw me\u2014not just a patient, but as a person\u201d\u00a0<\/h2>\n
\u201cSurvivorship means choosing to live\u201d\u00a0<\/h2>\n
Women Veterans: Listen, advocate, ask for help\u00a0<\/h2>\n
VA\u2019s breast health services\u00a0<\/h2>\n
\n
Get screened at VA\u00a0\u00a0<\/h2>\n