EAST WINDSOR, NJ — As a busy mom and Occupational Therapist (OT), Tammy Stees’ mantra in life has served her well.
“I do everything I can to seize little moments for self-care,” Tammy said. “Even if that’s just squeezing in some time to read a magazine, finding time for yourself is so important.”
That same approach to self-care led the New Jersey woman to be attentive to her annual breast exams.
In March 2023, Tammy went for her annual mammogram. When she got a call from the doctor at 8 p.m. that night, she was understandably concerned.
“Every time I had a mammogram, I was nervous and anxious,” she said. “The doctor explained that there was a change since my last exam and sent me for a biopsy, which revealed breast cancer.”
Tammy sprang into action, meeting with breast surgeons and plastic surgeons to create a plan of attack. In May 2023, she underwent a double mastectomy with a flatline closure.
In her role as an OT, Tammy understood the power and importance of physical therapy after her surgery and turned to the Strength After Breast Cancer Program at Good Shepherd Penn Partners’ outpatient site in East Windsor, New Jersey.
“I met with my physical therapist there before my surgery so she would have my baseline range of motion and strength,” Tammy said.
While Tammy was fortunate to not experience the lymphedema or swelling that some women do after breast surgery, she wanted to do everything possible to move her recovery forward. When most of her stitches and the drains were removed, she started therapy in earnest.
“I went to therapy as often as possible,” Tammy said. “Typically, I went twice a week, and it was such a positive and uplifting experience. It was totally incredible; I don’t have enough adjectives to describe the impact it had.”
While her sessions focused on activities like scar tissue massage, stretching and yoga, Tammy said the emotional support she received from the team at Good Shepherd Penn Partners was equally – if not more – important.
“When you go through a life-changing event like this and you’re sidestepped, it’s hard to get back physically and emotionally,” Tammy said. “My therapist would always ask me how I was doing. Not every day is a good day, and I was able to be frank and honest because I knew she understood what I was going through. She got me grounded again.”
Added Tammy: “She even talked me through undergarments I should try. It wasn’t just about my physical recovery – it was about all of it.”
Today, Tammy is currently undergoing oral therapy, a regimen she will continue for at least five years. The biggest hurdle is emotional – understanding that she had cancer in the past, and doesn’t have cancer at present. Daily life, for the most part, has returned to normal.
Looking back on her experience, Tammy says the best advice she can offer to other women in her position is to find a team to surround you and lift you up.
“Surround yourself with people who don’t just look at you as a diagnosis, but as a person with a diagnosis,” she said. “I deserved to have the best team and was fortunate to have found them.”
Learn more about the Strength After Breast Cancer Program or call 1-877-969-7342.