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Bandy share personal breast cancer survivor story

White Hall resident Irene Bandy is a two-time breast cancer survivor. Nearly four decades have passed since her first diagnosis, but 37 years and two surgeries later Bandy is cancer free and credits early detection with her victory over breast cancer.

“I feel like [early detection] played a great part in my recovery,” Bandy said. “I had all my appointments. I didn’t miss any.”

Bandy shared her survival story with friends at the Classy Senior Citizens of White Hall’s Oct. 9 breast cancer awareness meeting. The group observed their one-year anniversary at the White Hall Municipal Complex and invited Karen Henderson, RN and SenioRx coordinator at South Central Alabama Development Commission Area Agency on Aging to talk with the group about breast cancer awareness. 

Classy Senior group member Dorothy Doss said Henderson highlighted topics like risk factors, healthy habits, self- exams, screenings, mammograms, diagnosis, treatment and support. Questions and answers followed the discussion and afterwards, Bandy volunteered to tell the women about her personal experience with breast cancer. 

Bandy said she was first diagnosed in 1987, when her doctor found a small lump during a routine exam. She underwent a mastectomy, then received a second diagnosis in 2000 and had a second mastectomy to remove all threat of the cancer’s return. 

“I was doing self-exams,” Bandy said. “But I didn’t discover the lump. The doctor did. In 2000, the mammogram didn’t even show a lump, but my doctor sent me back and I had a second mammogram.” 

But for her doctor’s perseverance, Bandy said her cancer might have gone undetected and potentially reduced her chances of survival.

“If he hadn’t done that, then [the cancer] would probably have gone too long and moved into my lung,” Bandy recalled. “Then, I decided the best thing for me to do was go on and have the second [breast] removed too.”

Due to early detection, Bandy said her treatment regimen was not as extensive as some others experience. Neither radiation or chemotherapy was needed for her recovery.

‘My doctor said I made the best decision [to have mastectomies], because nine times out of 10, if you try to remove the lump it could re-occur,” Bandy said. “I haven’t had a problem since, but I still do a yearly checkup. I don’t miss an exam or appointment. I go to the cancer center every year.”

Doss said Bandy offers a message of hope to women. While sharing her story, Doss said Bandy urges women to practice self-exams and regular screenings.

“She stressed that self-exams, self-awareness and mammograms are vital and urged attendees to, by all means, not assume they have been given a death sentence with a breast cancer diagnosis,” Doss said.

As a breast cancer survivor, Bandy serves as an advocate for local women and said she is proud to share her story to help other women reduce the risks of cancer.

“It’s no use trying to keep it a secret, because what you tell them might help them or help someone else,” Bandy said. “Instead of them waiting around, they might decide, ‘She did all these things and she’s still here so that might make me live a long life too.’”

Also present on Oct. 9 were Lowndes County Department of Human Resources (LCDHR) director Felicia Thomas, and Kimora Maull, LCDHR adult services coordinator. The two greeted the group and presented gift bags. 

Classy Seniors meet monthly to host informational discussions. The brainchild of White Hall Mayor Delmartre Bethel, the group was organized with four founding members in October 2023.

“Our previous mayor John Jackson had a senior program here in town and my mother was a member of that program,” Doss said. “Mayor Bethel contacted one of my friends and said he was interested in having a group of seniors get together and that we could meet at the town hall.

The group focuses on community education, Doss said, fostering opportunities for seniors to learn more about topics like breast cancer awareness.

“We try to have a speaker come in monthly to give us something pertinent for the elderly community,” Doss said.