Duluth woman finds a new outlook

By Anthony Matt

At 40 years young, you wouldn’t think Sarah Willey has fought one of the toughest health care battles a woman can face. What most people see when they meet her are a love for life, a bubbly personality and a desire to make people smile.

“I always try to laugh and put a positive spin on things. I just try to turn everything into life’s irony and make a joke about it,” said Willey.

In early 2017, Willey’s exuberance hit a roadblock. A selfexamination revealed a lump on her breast. A biopsy following an abnormal mammogram confirmed her suspicions.

“Stage 2 breast cancer — HER2 positive, hormone receptornegative. It’s a cancer that grows really fast, so you have to move quickly,” she said. “I was in shock. There is no cancer history in my family.”

Further testing revealed at least four tumors that had spread to her lymphatic system and her armpit.

“My first thought was, ‘Who is going to take care of my children?’” Willey explained. “How was I going to tell my friends and family? We had just lost my mother a few months prior; how was I supposed to share more devastating news?”

Willey’s primary care doctor at Essentia Health, Dr. Steven Baker, and her oncologist, Dr. Peter Kebbekus, absorbed the diagnosis and created a customized treatment plan. That plan included 18 weeks of chemotherapy and an additional 36 weeks of drug infusion.

“The care was unlike anything I’ve ever seen,” said Willey. “I didn’t have to worry about managing any of it. When you’re going through treatment, your head is spinning, you’re focused on trying to stay alive. In the midst of that, there are so many doctors office visits to make, tests and biopsies, etc. It’s tough, but they made it so easy for me. All I had to do was show up and let them save my life.”

All that care, all the tests and checkups, would pay dividends. Just six months after her diagnosis, and just days before Christmas, Willey was declared in remission with no evidence of disease.

“The chemo worked as well as could be expected and there was no leftover cancer in the breast or lymph nodes,” said Dr. Kebbekus. “She kept her sense of humor throughout and put up with all the physical insults of being a cancer patient with courage and grace.”

“It was the greatest Christmas gift ever,” said Willey. “Not everyone is as lucky as me, and I’m just so thankful.”

Willey underwent a double mastectomy that was recommended by Dr. Kathleen Monaghan, a surgeon at Essentia.

“Dr. Monaghan and I both agreed a mastectomy was the best choice for me due to the multiple tumor sites in my left breast,” said Willey. “I decided to remove both so the result of reconstruction would afford a matching set. After all, they were just breasts and do not define who I am as a woman.”

In addition to her doctors, Willey said her children, now 11 and 16, played a monumental role in her winning the fight of her life.

“They helped keep me grounded, they kept me focused,” she said. “My youngest, Alissa, 7 at the time, was my partner in crime through the whole thing. She would come with me for drug infusions and walked around the infusion center with her positive attitude like she owned the place.”

Willey’s experience has given her a new outlook on life, learning to enjoy those little moments that are often overlooked.

“I used to hate my birthday, especially as I got older,” she said. “Now I love it! It’s a celebration of another year that I get to watch my children grow and spend time with my close friends and family. I’m so much more grateful for every day that I have.”

Willey stresses the importance of routine physicals and listening to your body.

“Cancer can happen to anyone at any age,” she said. “If you feel like something is off, go see your provider. Listen to your gut instinct. Don’t think you’re too young for this to happen to you. Cancer doesn’t choose an age and it moves fast, too fast for you to sit on it.”

Dr. Kebbekus said Willey did the right thing by seeking care immediately, and that early detection gives people the best chance of survival.

“Breast cancer is very treatable as long as it hasn’t spread beyond the local lymph nodes,” he said. “Timely screening with mammograms can pick up almost all breast cancers while they are still curable.”

Willey ended up tattooing her mastectomy site to serve as a daily reminder of a grueling battle against cancer.

“It reminds me that I am strong and to love and embrace who I am and what I have been through. I don’t need breasts to be beautiful,” she said.

In remission for more than three years, Willey is happy to spend her time camping with her kids, reading, going on road trips, volunteering as a sexual assault advocate at the Program for Aid to Victims of Sexual Assault (PAVSA) and enjoying each and every birthday life brings her way.

Samantha Roffers, a Moose Lake writer, believes it’s important to shop for things you love and feel comfortable in. Everyone’s style is unique and that’s what makes it so special.

Hellodear readers, happy fall y'all! It's hard to believe holidays are right around the corner and another winter looms in the near future. Summer barely got its shoes off and then it was headed right back out the door it seems. Hopefully it sticks around a little longer next year, or maybe I need to find a time machine! One thing I do love about the change of seasons is the transition into cozy sweaters and fleece lined leggings. There was no shortage of beautiful fall apparel at The Wildflower Boutique, we headed over the bridge to Superior Wisconsin to check them out for this issue. Walking into The Wildflower Boutique it is immediately obvious that owner Tiffany Simons puts her heart and soul into this boutique. It is beautifully and carefully decorated with both personal and seasonal touches. Tiffany is so incredibly warm and welcoming. She does an amazing job making you feel comfortable and helping you pick out amazing outfits. Her store is laid out in a very “easy to shop” manner. It is very appealing to the eye and makes finding pieces a breeze. There is minimal digging needed, it's all very easy to see and easily accessible. Tiffany carries a great selection of tops, bottoms, shoes and accessories. There is truly something for everyone. All of us ladies with The Women Today left with bags full of goodies from our stop! I can't wait to show you some of my finds… D

by Sam

Look number one absolutely spoke to my soul. The warm tones, cozy material and southwestern print are right up my alley. This cardigan could easily be paired with jeans, leggings or slacks as well as an array of different colored tops underneath it. It came with pockets and drapes beautifully. I paired it with some distressed jeggings, a burnt orange tank top and an adorable necklace. You could wear this look with sneakers or flats but I think some knee high tan boots would be stunning.

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Look number two was so fun! Keeping the distressed jeggings going I paired them with this gorgeous turquoise sweater and southwestern print sneakers. This sweater was so soft and comfortable and the bright hue really made it the star of this look. These adorable sneakers paired perfectly with this top for a totally cute and effortless “wear anywhere” outfit. You all know by now I'm a girl who loves her comfy outfits so this one was right up my alley.

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This third look was one of my favorites. The blush colored tank top and buttery soft, white sweater made for the most adorable and perfect look. This is the perfect everyday outfit but could easily be dressed up for a date night or other occasions. This sweater was so incredibly soft, like being wrapped in a brand new sherpa blanket. I paired this with leggings and my signature birkenstocks but this would pair beautifully with basically any other jean or shoe.

This fourth look was so fun and screams FALL. I love plaids for fall, they are so versatile and a great way to add pop to an outfit without getting too crazy. This oversized buffalo plaid vest and black top would look amazing paired with a skinny jean and tan boot or bootie. I worked with what I had on hand and paired it with leggings and my birkenstocks which I still feel works. This is a great transition outfit for these warm fall days and could easily be worn into winter.

Look number five brought out all my inner sass! This isn't something I would typically wear. I am a firm believer in wearing leggings as pants but only when my bottom is covered. I definitely felt a little exposed in this look but it paid off, its adorable! The main piece of this look was the awesome open back sweater. This is such a fun way to show off your summer tan while heading into fall. It is a different cut than most shirts which in my opinion makes it super fun and unique. The funky shoes and hat were just a bonus to the awesome shirt!