We continue to monitor COVID-19, flu and other respiratory viruses in our communities. Read the most current information about prevention, testing and where to go if you're sick.

COVID-19 Information

“You only get one life”

In April 2019, Michelle Mondello was breastfeeding her youngest child of three when she noticed a lump in her breast.

Michelle was only 35 years old and had no family history of breast cancer. Because of her age and background, she wasn’t a candidate for regular mammograms. But after a biopsy at the Breast HealthCare Center at Missouri Baptist Medical Center, Michelle was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), an aggressive form of cancer that accounts for 10 to 15 percent of all breast cancers.

“My baby saved my life,” Michelle remembers. “Nursing him that night saved my life.”

From discovery to diagnosis

After noticing the lump, Michelle brought her concerns to her longtime doctor, Mark Jostes, MD, a BJC Medical Group ob/gyn, who had delivered each of her three children. Dr. Jostes recalls Michelle’s visit, saying, “My role was in helping make the diagnosis and listening to her concerns. Then, helping to navigate getting her to the right place.”

While fatty breast tissue is transparent on a mammogram (left), both dense tissue and potential tumors appear white on the images (right), making it harder to distinguish between normal tissue and abnormalities. Those with dense breasts may require supplemental screening tests to detect cancerous changes.

Michelle had heard stories from women in a Facebook mom’s group who were diagnosed with breast cancer whose concerns were initially brushed off by their doctors. These women were told they were too young to get breast cancer or that they were simply experiencing changes in their breast tissue because they were nursing. “I remember they said they were getting pushed off by their doctors and had to advocate for themselves,” she says. But that was not the case with Jostes. He took her concerns seriously. “He knew this was something to pursue and get checked out,” Michelle says. 

Jostes immediately scheduled Michelle for a mammogram and ultrasound. The mammogram didn’t show her tumor because Michelle, like many women her age, had dense breasts, which made it harder to spot cancerous lumps. “It’s kind of like looking for a bird’s nest in a tree with full foliage,” Michelle says. “It’s hard to find the nest with so many leaves.”

But Michelle’s ultrasound revealed the tumor. After a biopsy, she was diagnosed with TNBC in May 2019.

What is triple-negative breast cancer?

TNBC is an aggressive form of breast cancer that more commonly occurs in women under the age of 40. Dr. Melissa Rooney explains, “When a patient is first diagnosed with breast cancer, our pathologist will review the biopsy under a microscope. We’re interested first in making the diagnosis of breast cancer, and that’s based on the appearance of the cells.”

Dr. Rooney explains how additional testing is done on the tumor itself, saying, “they’re checking it for the estrogen receptor, the progesterone receptor, and a protein called HER2.” Dr. Rooney outlines how these factors impact treatment decisions and specific diagnoses. “For a patient that has triple negative breast cancer,” says Dr. Rooney, “it’s lacking the expression of the estrogen receptor, the progesterone receptor, and HER2, so that’s where the name ‘triple negative’ comes in.”

Black women have a higher rate of incidence of TNBC, and so do women who carry the BRCA1 gene mutation. (This mutation, along with BRCA2, puts a person at a higher risk for developing other types of cancers, too, such as ovarian cancer, prostate cancer and melanoma.)

TNBC metastasizes, or spreads, at a higher rate than other cancers, making it all the more important to take action quickly after diagnosis. According to the American Cancer Society, the five-year survival rate for women diagnosed with TNBC when it is localized is 91 percent.

Treatment plans and parenthood

Dr. Rooney says that “delineating the extent of the [cancer]” is one of the first steps in the treatment process. “Each patient’s treatment plan is tailored and individualized to their clinical scenario.” For many women diagnosed with TNBC, they have a standard treatment path. “They undergo a course of surgery, potentially radiation therapy, and most patients will receive some form of chemotherapy,” explains Dr. Rooney. She adds that immunotherapy is also a potential treatment path for some women.

Michelle began chemotherapy and radiation at MoBap and underwent a double mastectomy at Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital, followed by breast reconstruction. For the mom of three, it was important that she had an open dialogue with her children about what was happening to her. Throughout treatment, Michelle let her children know they could ask her any questions. She explained her cancer as “bugs in my body” and the chemo as a special medicine. When Michelle got her port, she noticed it looked like the power button on a toy. She told her children, “This is the ‘on’ button for Mommy’s medicine,” she says.

Doctors gave Michelle a crash course in what to expect during chemo so she could prepare for parenting through treatment and its side effects. They told her that she might experience fevers, nausea and hair loss during chemo and were ready with medications to mitigate the side effects. “They set me up for success, so I wasn’t feeling terrible,” Michelle says. On hard days, after treatment, when the steroids wore off, Michelle would crash and used the downtime to have picnics in bed with her children. They watched movies, still enjoying family time despite Michelle feeling physically rough.

It was important to Michelle to move through her cancer journey in an empowered way, from her emotions to her physical appearance. “I didn’t want people to look at me and see that I was sick, or pity my kids for having a sick mom,” she says. When her hair began falling out during chemo, Michelle wanted to control how she lost the rest of it. First, she cut her hair into a bob. When it began falling out more rapidly, Michelle ordered a pair of clippers online and asked her sister and her nephews to shave her head.

Michelle says the support she received from friends, family and her care team at Missouri Baptist made the journey much easier. Sometimes, Michelle says, having a very young child during her treatment was a helpful distraction. Parenting duties “forced her out of bed,” in a good and needed way. “I had no choice,” she remembers. “I needed to be there for the little one.”

Today, because of the care and concern her ob/gyn and the oncology team at MoBap showed her, Michelle, who completed her cancer treatment on October 9, 2019 (her 36th birthday), can be there for all of her kids. “Never once did I feel I had to beg for them to investigate what was going on,” Michelle says. “I didn’t have to advocate for myself.” She encourages anyone with questions about their health to find a doctor who will listen and partner with them on their health journey. 

Dr. Jostes echoes Michelle’s advice, encouraging patients to “be assertive,” and emphasizing that for doctors, “you have to listen.” Dr. Jostes says he has diagnosed other women in their thirties, like Michelle with breast cancer. “As physicians, you listen to the patient and then you advocate for them, in light of a physical finding you’re concerned about.”

Dr. Rooney emphasizes the importance of patients speaking candidly with their doctor, saying, “I think for a woman, one of the most important things she can do [to be proactive about breast cancer risk reduction] is to talk with her primary care doctor or ob/gyn to have a formal risk assessment performed.”

Following guidelines for annual mammograms is also a proactive step. “We do have a high-risk breast cancer screening program here at Missouri Baptist,” adds Dr. Rooney, “where patients are tracked closely.” The purpose of these screening measures is to detect the cancer early, “when it can be most easily treated,” explains Dr. Rooney.

Michelle says that her intuition was a big piece of her cancer journey. “Always trust your gut,” she says. “Doctors don’t know your body the way you do.” If something doesn’t feel right, the way it did for Michelle when she discovered a lump while breastfeeding, contact your doctor, ask for tests and advocate for yourself. As Michelle says, “you only get one life.”

Read more about Missouri Baptist Medical Center’s cancer care.

Related Content

Find a Doctor or Make an Appointment

Our new search tool will help you choose a doctor or health care provider that is best for you or your family.

Search Now

Did You Know The Overlap Between Lung and Breast Cancer?

Mammograms and low-dose CT scans can help detect cancer early—when it is most treatable—long before it can be felt, and symptoms appear.

Learn More keyboard_arrow_right

Should you be screened?

By discovering cancer at an early stage, these preventative screenings can help improve the odds of survival and reduce the need for more extensive treatment.

Learn More keyboard_arrow_right

Lung Cancer Screening

Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. Often the disease does not show symptoms until it has progressed to advanced stages, when it is difficult to treat and chances of survival decrease. A low-radiation-dose CT scan can detect lung cancer at its earliest stages, making treatment both easier and more effective.

Learn More keyboard_arrow_right

Cathy and Paul Benefit from Early Screening

As former smokers, Cathy and Paul both experienced the benefits of Missouri Baptist Medical Center’s (MoBap) early lung cancer screening program. 

Learn More keyboard_arrow_right

Amanda Makes Every Day Count Following Cancer

Amanda “Manda” Suchara, a 44-year-old professional musician and hospice chaplain, was enjoying good health and had just started a new job. She never imagined that her life would look completely different in a few short months.

Learn More keyboard_arrow_right

MoBap Breast HealthCare Center CancerIQ Pilot Helps Assess Cancer Risk

Annual screening mammograms beginning at age 40 continue to be the best tool for early detection of breast cancer in women of average risk; however, identifying women at increased risk can help patients and their physicians decide if additional imaging or other screening measures should be considered.

Learn More keyboard_arrow_right
Thumbnail of landing page of the MoBap Cancer Research website

Cancer Research - the leading edge of finding a cure.

Missouri Baptist is part of Heartland Cancer Research, one of 34 community networks that comprise the National Cancer Institute Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP).

Learn More keyboard_arrow_right

“You only get one life”

Michelle Mondello was breastfeeding her youngest child of three when she noticed a lump in her breast. Michelle was only 35 years old and had no family history of breast cancer. Because of her age and background, she wasn’t a candidate for regular mammograms. But after a biopsy at the Breast HealthCare Center at Missouri Baptist Medical Center, Michelle was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), an aggressive form of cancer that accounts for 10 to 15 percent of all breast cancers.

Learn More keyboard_arrow_right

Bring down the swelling and stress

Lymphedema is a type of chronic swelling that can occur if there is damage to the lymphatic system or if the lymphatic system becomes overloaded by excess fluid due to infection or other medical issues, such as surgery, radiation or trauma to the lymph vessels. 

As the first and only National Lymphedema Network  Affiliate Treatment Center in the St. Louis area, find out how the Center for Outpatient Therapy and Wellness can help.

Learn More keyboard_arrow_right

Dr. Stein Uses Molecular Testing to Inform His Patients' Cancer Treatment

In 2021, Russell (Russ) Horne and William Sibert were diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). They both benefited from molecular profiling of their cancer, known as precision oncology, which identified different and effective treatment approaches.

Learn More keyboard_arrow_right

Take 5 for Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world; yet recent research shows most people know very little about the disease. Did you know that more people in the United States die from lung cancer than any other type of cancer?

Learn More keyboard_arrow_right

Suzanne, a breast cancer survivor, thanks her care team at MoBap

Suzanne Braun credits her care team at Missouri Baptist Medical Center and her own diligence with saving her life. Braun, who went through ovarian cancer in her early 20s, said that health crisis impressed upon her the importance of regular doctor visits and an annual mammogram.

Learn More keyboard_arrow_right

Breast Cancer Risk Assessment & Genetic Counseling

The Breast Cancer Risk Assessment & Genetic Counseling Program at Missouri Baptist Medical Center provides comprehensive breast cancer screenings and customized surveillance plan for patients with an increased risk of breast cancer.

Learn More keyboard_arrow_right

Chemotherapy: What to Expect on Your First Day

The Cancer Center at Missouri Baptist Medical Center developed this informational video to help patients understand what happens during their first day of chemotherapy and how our community of caregivers will support and guide them through treatment. 

Learn More keyboard_arrow_right

Understanding Chemotherapy and Managing Side Effects

The Cancer Center at Missouri Baptist Medical Center developed this informational video to help patients understand chemotherapy, how treatments are given to patients in our infusion centers and how chemotherapy works on cancer in the body. There are details on how to manage and avoid possible side effects, how to stay healthy during your treatment and safety during treatment.

Learn More keyboard_arrow_right

MoBap Offers a New FDA-Approved Treatment for People With Advanced Prostate Cancer

 On March 23, 2022, prostate cancer treatment for those with advanced disease took a step forward with the FDA approving the first targeted therapy for the treatment of progressive, PSMA-positive prostate cancer that has spread or metastasized to other parts of the body. Missouri Baptist Medical Center is one of three sites in Missouri that is currently offering this treatment.

Learn More keyboard_arrow_right

Katie Celebrates Remission After Treatment for Endometrial Cancer

Katie was at a crossroads about where to receive additional cancer treatment to help prevent her cancer from returning. “I chose Missouri Baptist because they have a great reputation for cutting-edge cancer therapies and care.”

Learn More keyboard_arrow_right

Did You Know?

As the COVID-19 vaccine becomes more widely available, many people wonder whether it's right for them. BJC HealthCare wants you to have the information you need to make the right decision for yourself and your loved ones.

Learn More keyboard_arrow_right

Lung Cancer Screening Results in Early Detection

Michael, a 51-year-old business owner, was a one-pack-a-day cigarette smoker for 30 years who quit in 2017. As someone who enjoyed good health, Michael never worried about his lungs. However, chronic shoulder pain that he attributed to over-exercising and weightlifting began to bother him. On a whim, Michael Googled "causes of shoulder pain" and was surprised when lung cancer came up in the search result.

Learn More keyboard_arrow_right

Getting Back into the Swing After Breast Cancer

As a former marketing executive at Anheuser-Busch and a sales and operations vice president with Staples, Geri saw her diagnosis as just another challenge that needed an execution strategy.

Learn More keyboard_arrow_right

Regular Cancer Screenings Save Lives

Cancer screening tests are important because they can identify a malignancy before symptoms appear, when the disease may be easier to treat.

Learn More keyboard_arrow_right

An Inside Look

Since launching in November 2014, the Missouri Baptist Medical Center Computed Tomography (CT) Lung Cancer Screening has screened 2,594 people for early-stage lung cancer. Forty-six of them had cancer. 

David Patton is one of those. Read how the nurse navigator assisted him through the program.

Learn More keyboard_arrow_right

Symptoms Lead to Unexpected Diagnoses

When Leslie heard the word, “cancer,” her stomach sank.

Learn More keyboard_arrow_right

New Patients and Family Information

Learn More keyboard_arrow_right