It was a Friday nearly four years ago, when Kelly Miller set off for her annual mammogram. And what started out as simply going to a routine checkup, very quickly and unexpectedly launched a personal journey of survival.

“I went into the appointment having identified a lump that I wanted to have checked out,” explains Kelly, Finance Manager, GE Healthcare Monitoring Solutions and Clinical Accessories. “But it wasn’t until the doctor confirmed that it looked suspicious and recommended a biopsy, that I became apprehensive.”

That same day, Kelly’s healthcare providers conducted a series of tests, including a biopsy.

“Knowing something could be wrong was overwhelming,” she recalls. “I had to go home. I had to tell my family, and you never really know how to start a conversation like that. How was I going to tell my husband, Chris? Should I tell my two sons now or wait until I had all of the test results and an exact diagnosis?”

“Trying to digest the news for myself and then having a conversation about it was tough,” she adds. “Meanwhile, I was waiting all weekend for the biopsy results to provide answers – holding on to a sliver of hope that the results would be benign.”

On Monday, the biopsy results unfortunately confirmed the lump was malignant.

PDX breast image.jpg

“The cancer diagnosis kicked off another series of tests,” she explains. “It was critical to determine the type of cancer, its stage and how pervasive it was before my healthcare providers could recommend the appropriate treatment plan. Each day, you’re awaiting answers, seeking the latest information and preparing yourself for what is coming next.”

Cancer is personal, so your treatment should be too.

Following six weeks of assessment, Kelly’s healthcare team recommended six months of chemotherapy followed by surgery.

“It was a difficult experience. I didn’t want it to disrupt our lives,” Kelly reflects. At the time, her older son, Mack, was a sophomore in college, and Ryan, her younger son, was a senior in high school. “I wanted them to enjoy those experiences without worrying about me. This journey impacts the whole family, but we did our best to keep it as normal as possible.”

Her desire for business as usual included continuing her work, at that time, supporting GE Healthcare’s Cardiovascular Ultrasound business.

“My manager was extremely understanding of my need for flexibility to attend medical appointments, and he supported my continued career development at the same time. Three months into my chemotherapy treatments, he asked me to contribute in a larger way, and I accepted the role as Finance Manager for Monitoring Solutions.”

“My colleagues were incredibly helpful throughout my journey,” Kelly says. “There is a lot of understanding among our global team – not only because we have the good fortune of working with compassionate people, but because of the work we do to provide the medical technologies clinicians use to diagnose and care for patients with these types of diseases. That understanding and support is the reason I’ve come to work every day for 28 years, and it was a source of strength for me during this very difficult time in my life.”

Various GE Healthcare monitoring systems as well as mammography, MRI, ultrasound, and bone and metabolic health imaging devices supported Kelly’s year-long road to recovery.

“I had confidence in my doctors and the systems GE Healthcare develops,” she explains.

“Thanks to my family, friends, healthcare providers and coworkers, I felt tremendous encouragement throughout my entire journey,” she adds.

Nine months after receiving her initial cancer diagnosis, Kelly had surgery to remove the remaining cancerous tumor.

“I’ll never forget the doctor telling me that the operation was a success with the resulting surgery yielding ‘clean margins,’ indicating that he was able to successfully remove the entire tumor,” Kelly says. “When I heard that, I was relieved and reflected that I had achieved my goal of beating this as I took my first step towards healing. While there was additional monitoring to verify the results and identify the post-treatment plan, I was given the opportunity to fight and win… and that’s an amazing feeling.”

Kelly Miller family photo.jpg

The Opportunity to Fight Breast Cancer & Win

It’s estimated that 7.8 million women alive today have been diagnosed with breast cancer in the past five years[1], making the disease the world’s most prevalent cancer. Unfortunately, this number is expected to grow over the next two decades, with one study suggesting breast cancer incidence may increase by more than a third in the U.S.[2] However, this same study anticipates mortality rates for the disease will simultaneously decrease by 25 percent,² largely thanks to advances in breast cancer screening and early cancer detection programs – combined with different modes of treatment to eradicate the disease.

“Early detection, quality care and amazing support

gave me the strength to fight and win.”

Kelly’s story highlights the opportunity breast cancer patients have to fight and win when it is caught early, but for the 168,000 patients currently living with metastatic breast cancer (“Stage 4”) in the U.S. alone, more personalized and targeted therapies are required.[3]

“Each person’s experience is unique,” Kelly says. “And I say that very intentionally because we all have different genetic and chemical makeups, personal traits and circumstances, environmental factors, and accesses to healthcare that can impact our care and outcomes. The treatment plan that worked for me may not work for someone else.”

Cancer is personal, so the treatment should be too.

Developments in breast imaging and care are constantly evolving, with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announcing new steps to modernize breast cancer screening in ways that empowers the patient and supports decision making.[4] Furthermore, advancements in precision care are raising the standard of healthcare, helping to provide clinicians with more detailed patient data at earlier stages for improved patient outcomes.

GE Healthcare is driven to advance this effort and provide more personalized care solutions to clinicians and patients around the world. This includes continued investment in leading-edge women’s health technologies – like those used throughout Kelly’s care – and recently acquiring Zionexa, a startup that develops diagnostics to help guide the selection of targeted therapies in oncology.

“I’m now three years cancer-free and am incredibly grateful for the love and friendship I experienced throughout my journey,” she concludes. “Early detection, quality care and amazing support gave me the strength to fight and win.”

[1] Breast Cancer. (26 March 2021). Accessed on May 5, 2021. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/breast-cancer

[2] Madden Yee, K. (2021, April 07). Breast cancer incidence to increase by 2040, but Not mortality. Retrieved May 05, 2021, from https://www.auntminnie.com/index.aspx?sec=sup&sub=wom&pag=dis&ItemID=132046

[3] Mariotto et al. Estimation of the Number of Women Living with Metastatic Breast Cancer in the United States. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. 2017: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-16-0889.

[4] FDA Proposes New Rules for Mammography Reporting and Quality Improvement. Imaging Technology News https://www.itnonline.com/content/fda-proposes-new-rules-mammography-reporting-and-quality-improvement

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