There and back again: Local woman beats breast cancer...twice
Cancer survivor Jo Baldwin (left) is pictured above with her husband of 43 years, Everett Baldwin (right).
October 12, 2016
Charlea Estes
It takes a strong person to go through cancer. It takes an exceptionally strong person to go through it twice and come back again. Each October, people are reminded of breast cancer awareness with pink ribbons appearing on everything, but for some people, the reality is personal. For Wheaton resident Jo Baldwin, breast cancer struck not once, but twice, and thanks to treatment and a support system, she is still here to tell her story.
Baldwin was diagnosed with breast cancer the first time in 1984. At that point, she ended up with a mastectomy, as well as having some lymph nodes removed before getting an all-clear for 31 years. Then, this past April, she was diagnosed with breast cancer again. Baldwin said, “I did it when I was 30, and now again at 61.”
While cancer is a scary concept for anyone, Baldwin said she had faith to get through it. “I was scared to death, but what they do now is different than 30 years ago.” With medicine coming a long way, Baldwin was given a clean bill of health by her doctor after another mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation.
Both times, Baldwin had a feeling something was wrong. She said, “Both times I had a pain above my breast, and this weird tension feelings.” Most recently, Baldwin said she knew something was off in February and went in for her regularly schedule mammogram in April to confirm it. She said, “I was the first in my family to get it, and now my sister and cousin have both had it, as well. My daughter does her regular screenings.”
Regular screenings, being aware of any unusual signs in your body and being willing to go get checked out are all integral steps to ensuring breast cancer is treated early and effectively, something Baldwin said helped her. However, on top of that, the support around her also helped to get her through.
This time, Baldwin’s husband of 43 years, Everett, has retired in January just before her diagnosis. She said, “My husband went with me to every appointment, every treatment. He learned to cook and even how to can this summer. He just totally supported me through all of it.”
Baldwin also got help from friends, as well as Wheaton’s Power of Pink Walk, who selected Baldwin as one of the women to received funds to help with bills and travel expenses. Baldwin had volunteered with Power of Pink in the past, but being the recipient really showed her how much the organization helps local women.
She said, “We cannot stress enough how much Power of Pink helps local women. I helped before, and I’ll continue to help with them in the future.”
Having help in some areas definitely makes a big difference, but treatments effect everything, even getting to spend time with family. Aside from being tired, Baldwin said it was also hard because it limited time with her grandchildren. “Once we started chemo, we had to pick and choose when they would come to visit because of my immune system. That was hard,” she said.
As far as the chemo, she said, “The first week is the worst and then you go back up hill.”
If Baldwin were to give advice to a woman who was just diagnosed, she said, “Keep your head up, because with modern medicine, they can do wonders.”
As far as how to help others going through what she went through, she said, “Just be there to support them in whatever they need you to do. I had some great friends when I went through it, and my kids came any time they could.”
However, good did come out of Baldwin’s struggle and her willingness to talk about what was going on as well as participating in the Power of Pink. “I did get a friend to go get her first mammogram in ten years, and that is so important. I told her it’s not as bad as it used to be.”
Baldwin lives in Wheaton with her husband, Everett. They have two children, C.J. Tabor and Brad Baldwin, and five grandchildren as well as one late grandchild.
Charlea Estes
It takes a strong person to go through cancer. It takes an exceptionally strong person to go through it twice and come back again. Each October, people are reminded of breast cancer awareness with pink ribbons appearing on everything, but for some people, the reality is personal. For Wheaton resident Jo Baldwin, breast cancer struck not once, but twice, and thanks to treatment and a support system, she is still here to tell her story.
Baldwin was diagnosed with breast cancer the first time in 1984. At that point, she ended up with a mastectomy, as well as having some lymph nodes removed before getting an all-clear for 31 years. Then, this past April, she was diagnosed with breast cancer again. Baldwin said, “I did it when I was 30, and now again at 61.”
While cancer is a scary concept for anyone, Baldwin said she had faith to get through it. “I was scared to death, but what they do now is different than 30 years ago.” With medicine coming a long way, Baldwin was given a clean bill of health by her doctor after another mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation.
Both times, Baldwin had a feeling something was wrong. She said, “Both times I had a pain above my breast, and this weird tension feelings.” Most recently, Baldwin said she knew something was off in February and went in for her regularly schedule mammogram in April to confirm it. She said, “I was the first in my family to get it, and now my sister and cousin have both had it, as well. My daughter does her regular screenings.”
Regular screenings, being aware of any unusual signs in your body and being willing to go get checked out are all integral steps to ensuring breast cancer is treated early and effectively, something Baldwin said helped her. However, on top of that, the support around her also helped to get her through.
This time, Baldwin’s husband of 43 years, Everett, has retired in January just before her diagnosis. She said, “My husband went with me to every appointment, every treatment. He learned to cook and even how to can this summer. He just totally supported me through all of it.”
Baldwin also got help from friends, as well as Wheaton’s Power of Pink Walk, who selected Baldwin as one of the women to received funds to help with bills and travel expenses. Baldwin had volunteered with Power of Pink in the past, but being the recipient really showed her how much the organization helps local women.
She said, “We cannot stress enough how much Power of Pink helps local women. I helped before, and I’ll continue to help with them in the future.”
Having help in some areas definitely makes a big difference, but treatments effect everything, even getting to spend time with family. Aside from being tired, Baldwin said it was also hard because it limited time with her grandchildren. “Once we started chemo, we had to pick and choose when they would come to visit because of my immune system. That was hard,” she said.
As far as the chemo, she said, “The first week is the worst and then you go back up hill.”
If Baldwin were to give advice to a woman who was just diagnosed, she said, “Keep your head up, because with modern medicine, they can do wonders.”
As far as how to help others going through what she went through, she said, “Just be there to support them in whatever they need you to do. I had some great friends when I went through it, and my kids came any time they could.”
However, good did come out of Baldwin’s struggle and her willingness to talk about what was going on as well as participating in the Power of Pink. “I did get a friend to go get her first mammogram in ten years, and that is so important. I told her it’s not as bad as it used to be.”
Baldwin lives in Wheaton with her husband, Everett. They have two children, C.J. Tabor and Brad Baldwin, and five grandchildren as well as one late grandchild.