For Valparaiso resident Cheryl Highlan, it started in July of 2022 with a routine mammogram. The doctors found a lump that, when the biopsy results came back, revealed that Highlan had breast cancer. Highlan’s care team at Northwest Health - Porter quickly gave her a plan on how she was going to beat it.
“I was really happy with my care at Northwest Health,” said Highlan. “From the day of my mammogram to 15 days later, we had a plan. I was just really thankful for Northwest Health and how they handled that so quickly.”
Having a plan so quickly was great for Highlan. As a social studies teacher at Thomas Jefferson Middle School, one of her top priorities was that she wanted her students to not worry about her.
“I wanted to make sure that my students knew that I was going to be okay,” said Highlan. “That was a huge thing for me, I wanted to present my case very positively to them.”
Highlan held off on having the lumpectomy until she could get to know her students and talk to the parents. On September 1, she had her lumpectomy, and Highlan and her care team saw how dangerous the cancer was. She had a fast-growing one that was in her lymph nodes. Highlan would also have to have chemotherapy in addition to the lumpectomy.
“I remember coming back to school and telling the kids that,” said Highlan. “When I first told them, I was like, ‘I'm sure I'll just have the surgery. I'll be fine.’”
Instead, Highlan would be preparing them for what happens when she loses her hair and other symptoms of chemotherapy. By the end of October, Highlan was starting her chemotherapy treatments.
“I was very fortunate that I had 16 chemo treatments, and I did amazingly well,” said Highlan. “I feel very fortunate that I didn't miss much school at all. I only took one full day off from feeling yucky.”
Instead of having to take days off to do the chemo treatments, Highlan learned that she could do them in the afternoons. She also did radiation before finishing all treatments in May.
“I joke that, if you want to beat breast cancer in a school year, I can tell you how. My timing and everything was just perfect,” said Highlan. “I finished my radiation in May before summer started, so I just was very fortunate.”
It was not one inspiration but several that got Highlan through her fight. Her friends and family would come with her to her chemo treatments. The school community and her coworkers would embrace her on days that she had chemo. The support for Highlan was immense.
“My coworkers at school would all wear pink for me on days that I had chemo treatments,” said Highlan. “I was one of those fortunate people that was surrounded by love, and I had people that were willing to drive me to my treatments and sit with me.”
Through her journey, Highlan learned that there are so many resources in the area, from great doctors and medical care to charity groups.
“We are so fortunate that where we live has such easy access to Chicago,” said Highlan. “We also have great doctors and oncologists right here. My oncologist was Dr. Tareq Braik, and I absolutely love him and recommend him. I know there are others too, so I just feel fortunate where we're at.”
Highlan has been in remission since May of 2023, and she even got to speak later at Northwest Health - Porter’s Blow Away Breast Cancer event in October. There, she got to tell her story and thank the staff for all that they did for her.