Sun, Oct 13, 2024 at 02:39 PM

Jenny Knight’s Journey Through Breast Cancer

As Chief Clinical Officer at Shepherd’s Cove Hospice, Jenny Knight is known for her compassion and always putting others before herself. In October 2023, the tables turned and she found herself in need of the same care she had provided for others.

Jenny’s annual October mammogram—a tradition she’d kept for years in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month—turned her world upside down.

“I always go to get my mammogram in October,” Jenny said.

But this time her screening revealed something unexpected. Her doctor requested a biopsy. The results showed invasive ductal carcinoma.

“Where the cancer was, I would have never felt a lump,” she shared.

As she faced the choice between a lumpectomy or a mastectomy, Jenny leaned on her faith and the support of her husband.

“My husband and I talked about it and prayed about what decision to make because he's in it with me,” she explained.

Jenny ultimately opted for a double mastectomy, a choice deeply influenced by her mother’s battle with breast cancer.

“My mother had breast cancer and ultimately died of metastatic breast cancer. That was one of the reasons I opted for the double mastectomy—I saw my mom do the lumpectomy, and her cancer came back.”

Initially, she was told she wouldn’t need chemotherapy. However, her trusted oncologist, Dr. Jonathan Storey, suggested genetic testing. Based on those results, chemotherapy was recommended.

“Dr. Storey, who we just love, recommended I have chemo after seeing my genetics test,” Jenny recalled.

Though Jenny faced multiple challenges, including infections and a pulmonary embolism, her faith and the unwavering support from her loved ones kept her strong.

“It’s been a wild ride, just one thing after another,” she said.

Yet, through it all, she found strength in her family, friends, coworkers and her team at the Cancer Center.

“The Lord never let me down, not one time. Even after all the setbacks, I can look back and see His hand and comfort in everything.”

One of the pivotal moments in her journey was when she connected with a familiar face at the Marshall Cancer Care Center—Jessica Formby, a former colleague.

“It's funny how the Lord works,” Jenny said. “When I found out I needed chemo, I called her and said, ‘I’m going to be coming to see you.’”

Jessica administered Jenny’s first chemotherapy treatment, and the bond they shared provided comfort through a challenging time.

Now nearing the end of her reconstruction process, Jenny’s hair and eyelashes have started growing back. Her spirit remains strong.

“Hindsight is always 20/20, but looking back at everything I’ve been through in just a year, I realize I didn’t do it alone,” she reflected. “I was never a lone ranger. I couldn’t have done it without the Cancer Center, without my family, without my friend Jessica Formby, my coworkers and my church family.”

Jenny’s journey through breast cancer was unique, yet it resonates with the experiences of so many women.

“Everybody’s story is different, and mine was much different from my mom’s story,” she said. “But now I can share my journey and my experiences and hopefully be a support to another woman who is traveling this journey and writing her own story.”