Laura Procher
Faith Sustains Her
“Check your boobs- mine tried to kill me.” It’s a phrase that women chuckle at until the gravity of the statement sinks in. Annual breast exams can be the difference between life and death and, for Laura Plocher, it very well could have been.
It all started in February 2023, when Laura noticed an abnormal lump near her armpit. “I was really bad at getting my yearly mammogram, and I had missed it. Of course, now I encourage everyone to get theirs… but I noticed one day that I had that lump, and I made an appointment as soon as I realized it wasn’t normal.” After getting it examined by her primary practitioner, and then by a cancer treatment center, Laura was diagnosed with triple positive breast cancer, stage 1.
“I knew,” Laura admits, “Before the results were in, I had an inkling… but I didn’t say anything until I had those results.”
Laura originally hadn’t planned on going to the Idaho Cancer Center and was instead seeking care elsewhere. After a strange series of events, asking many questions, and doing her research, Laura made the decision to move in a different direction.
“I thought, ‘Well, Lord, what are you trying to show me?’ With that, I decided to get a second opinion and went to the Idaho Cancer Center, and it was night and day,” Laura said.
Experts at the Idaho Cancer Center began treatment for her cancer, beginning with the removal of a lymph node in her armpit as well as a small tumor in her left breast. In order to determine what might have caused this cancer, the tumors underwent genetic tracing- the cause was deemed unknown, as there were no indications of it being hereditary.
Thanks to the experts at the Idaho Cancer Center, Laura’s tumor removal was a success and she began her chemotherapy and radiation treatments. She also underwent hormone therapy, as her breast cancer -triple positive- was hormone driven. “I’m especially grateful to everyone at the Idaho Cancer Center- Dr. Nibley, Sunita, ALL of the nurses and staff on the Medical Oncology side, EVERYONE who works on the Chemo Infusion Services side and ALL the staff on the Radiation Oncology side. They are all Angels! I don’t know what I’m going to do once I’m done. I’ll miss them, they’re like family now!”
As Laura went through her treatments, she was pleasantly surprised by the outcomes. Laura received six strong doses of radiation and was informed that the treatment was extremely successful. While the fourth week was difficult, full of nausea and general unwellness, her doctor explained that her outlook really shaped how she handled it so well.
“The entire time, I wasn’t scared, I wasn’t worried… a little apprehensive at times, but there was a peace: as a Christian, I held tightly to my faith and even more so to Luke 12:25, which says ‘Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?’,” Laura shared. “My faith has been a huge thing to get me through this, as well as my family and the people I know. I was surrounded by my husband; my sister who came to help; my sons, daughters-in-law, and all my grandchildren. I know many women at my church who have gone through cancer treatments as well. This whole time, I just meditated on what the Bible said and would read through Job with my husband. It really helped me get through everything.”
After radiation, Laura received lesser doses of chemotherapy for a year, every three weeks, a regimen she is still in. Once these treatments are done, Laura will continue to undergo hormone blocking for the rest of her life. As triple positive breast cancer is caused by estrogen, Laura will need to ensure that the cancer does not return. Fortunately, with the hormone blocking, she’s been reassured that there is between 85-90% chance, possibly even higher, of the cancer never coming back so long as she maintains that plan.
Laura is incredibly grateful for everyone who surrounded her through this journey: doctors, nurses, friends, and family. Through all of this, her faith and the incredible care she received kept her spirits up and her eyes focused ahead. Now, finalizing her care, Laura laughs as she says, “Check your boobs- mine tried to kill me.” As an advocate of remembering yearly mammograms, Laura loves to share her message of hope and the reminder that even a little action can have huge effects on one’s life.
