Adventist Health Bakersfield | You + Us | Summer 2019

5 Preventive care: Pass it on Our message at the Bakersfield Women’s Business Conference—and to all women—is to take care of yourself so you can care for those you love. To that end, we provided these beautiful “Together inspired” bracelets at the event. We asked women to wear them as a reminder to get their mammogram (or any other regular health screening), then pass them on to another woman as her reminder—and so on. We also held a free breast screening where 62 women were screened. Forty-three of those women, who otherwise may not have had access to care, were given resources to get a free mammogram. If you receive a bracelet, tell us how it inspired you! Share your story on social media and inspire others. #Togetherinspired A coordinated effort Heather Frank works alongside Beatris Sanders, the Adventist Health Bakersfield Foundation president. The foundation team is committed to elevating the quality of health care in Bakersfield and Kern County. Together with the foundation Board of Directors and volunteers from the community, they are working to advance the vital mission of living God’s love by inspiring health, wholeness and hope. The concern of her family and friends motivated her to make an appointment. It was fortunate she did. The doctor found a cyst (a small, fluid-filled sac) inside her ovary on that visit. At first, Heather says, she didn’t think anything of it. She’d had cysts before. As a teenager, she was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome, which can cause irregular periods and cysts in the ovaries. What came next, she will never forget. “I went in for an ultrasound, and during the screening everyone just quit talking,” she says. “I knew something wasn’t right.” Facing the music After more tests, Heather received the dreaded phone call with news no one wants to hear. “I was diagnosed with stage I ovarian cancer on Christmas Eve,” she says. Heather remembers hearing the words “You have cancer” just three hours before everyone would arrive at her home for a Christmas feast. “We waited to tell everyone until after New Year’s because I didn’t want to ruin anyone’s holidays,” she says, choking back tears. Looking at her today, you wouldn’t know Heather had battled ovarian cancer. In fact, most of those around her didn’t know at the time. She told only her family and a few close friends when she was diagnosed. To treat her cancer, Heather underwent surgery and radiation therapy. She continued to work and didn’t want to let cancer change her life in a negative way. “I didn’t want people to feel sorry for me or think of me differently.” Today, Heather considers herself to be blessed. “I didn’t have to go through chemotherapy. I didn’t have to lose my hair… but I still have the lasting side effects from If you’d like to help, call our foundation team at 888-298-6472 . the radiation,” she says. Her body can’t hold in essential vitamins, so she gets IV vitamin infusions at the Adventist Health AIS Cancer Center. Now she wants to empower other women to put their health at the top of their to-do list. “I never considered telling my story, but was encouraged by all the wonderful people in my life,” she says. She hopes that, through her story, more women will be inspired to follow her moves and make their health a priority. “I think that we often forget how busy our lives are, and the first person we always neglect is ourselves.” —Heather Frank, ovarian cancer survivor Excellence is our everyday endeavor.

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