“It’s not a death sentence”: Local breast cancer patient, teacher shares story
by Maxine Rose
PERRY COUNTY, Pa. (WHP) — The CDC says only about 9% of all new cases of breast cancer are found in women younger than 45 in the United States. Maggie Kaufman, a 33-year-old Perry County resident, is just one of those cases.
While that reality may discourage some, it was, for Maggie, a new lease on life. “It’s not a death sentence, like I thought it was,” said Maggie Kaufman.
Back in early May, Maggie Kaufman noticed something unusual. After doing a self-examination at home, she had come across a lump on her breast, immediately sending treatment into high gear. “So many women come in there and say, ‘yeah, I’ve felt this for years and I just didn’t go check it out,'” Kaufman said. “I can’t – you have to go if anything feels weird.”
Genetic testing and her current health status never showed any great risk. So, the news of her Stage 1A cancer diagnosis blindsided her and her family, she says. “Having it suddenly crash down like that, it was – I was static for a minute or two,” said Trevor Kaufman, Maggie’s husband.
“With three kids and a husband that I absolutely adore – they’re what kept me going. I have to be here for them,” Kaufman said. “The decision to have a double mastectomy – so easy. It was a no-brainer for me.”
Plus, the continued support of doctors at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center kept the Newport Elementary School teacher’s spirits high no matter what. “You don’t hear of positive cancer stories, you know?” Kaufman said.
“Hopefully, five years from now, she doesn’t have to look back to this. Or, she looks back to this and sees it as just a nightmare,” Dr. Mai Gandhi, Maggie’s doctor and Breast Surgeon at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, said.
Fortunately, it was a nightmare one that was short-lived. By late June, Maggie was out and back to her normal life. “It is such a privilege for me to be able to take care of this woman,” said Dr. Gandhi.
“I’m just so grateful through all of this,” Kaufman said. “I really am.”
Maggie Kaufman’s story is not over just yet, however. She will be undergoing endocrine treatments for the next five years before doctors can officially say she is in remission.
For now, she says her journey has given her a new perspective as she looks forward to the start of a healthier, more proactive life.