7 Healthcast: Mammograms

Martha Porter is in the fight of her life and she's winning.

“You hear that word cancer, and you just want it out,” said Porter.

The 47-year-old from Stoneham has been battling breast cancer since finding a lump in her breast last thanksgiving.

“The waiting was very long for the results,” said Porter.

Since that fateful day, Martha has undergone a bi-lateral mastectomy and reconstruction.

“When I got diagnosed on December 9, my tumor was 2-7 centimeters. On February 3, it was 3-5, and painful,” said Porter.

But, Martha says she was not alone in her fight.

“You need your physical health as well as your mental health,” said Porter.

Along with an unparalleled team of doctors from the North Shore Medical Center, Martha got a helping hand early on from a breast health navigator.

“I always try to recognize they are coming off the street, and learning info that is life potentially altering, all in one day, maybe in an hour, their life has flashed before them,” said Nancy Lee, a breast health navigator.

The navigator is on hand from the very beginning, offering guidance, information and even a shoulder to cry on.

“I love when women come back, their head is up higher, they speak with confidence, ask incredible questions, fear is no longer there, stricly empowerment. That’s what we want, to bring every woman to that stage,” said Lee.

And Martha says she feels empowered!

In July, she will finish her last round of chemotherapy, celebrate her 48th birthday, and officially be a breast cancer survivor!

“You can fight this, as devastating a diagnosis it is, you can fight it with a positive attitude, get your friends and family to help you. It’s important,” said Porter.

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