“I’m very familiar with traveling Highway 190 now, but the short drive to Baton Rouge has been worth it,” says breast cancer survivor and Alexandria, Louisiana resident Lori Stanley. “And it was much closer than Houston or some other far away locations.”
Lori was referred for treatment at the Breast & GYN Cancer Pavilion, a Woman’s Hospital and Mary Bird Perkins – Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Center partnership, after her local gynecologist found a suspicious mass that had formed in one of her breasts.
“My gynecologist said that the Pavilion was the best place to go for diagnosis and treatment. She explained that she knew the technology and expertise was extraordinary and she was right, especially because I was diagnosed with invasive lobular carcinoma, a type of cancer that’s difficult to detect,” said Lori. “From the moment I was referred there, things moved quickly and I felt like I was exactly where I needed to be. It all happened so efficiently and effectively that looking back, I thank God that I didn’t have to worry about navigating a system. Everything was done for me, so I could focus on getting better.”
After surgeries to remove the mass and reconstruct her breast, a medical oncologist determined that Lori did not need chemotherapy nor radiation. Instead, she began a less intensive treatment with fewer side effects, an endocrine therapy regimen. Lori is now in remission.
The one-year anniversary of the Breast & GYN Cancer Pavilion is May 1, and over the last year, many women from throughout the region have chosen to seek cancer care at the facility due to its focus on women and cancer, and the renowned, collaborative expertise available. There is no other known cancer center in the country focused specifically on these diseases. For more information, please visit breastandgyncancer.org or call the CancerAnswer call line at (225) 215-7600.