Patient Story: Amanda’s Battle Against Breast Cancer

Amanda Henson and her husband could never have imagined that life would throw them an unexpected curveball. During a self-exam one evening, Amanda felt a lump in her breast. Being only 32, she couldn’t believe that cancer was a possibility.

But within days, Amanda’s cancer was confirmed and, with the help of Dr. Blakely Kute, she put her plan of action in place. Though Amanda would have a long road in front of her, Dr. Kute was encouraged to see that she had a strong family unit and that their first priority was recovery.

Dr. Kute’s attentive nature gave Amanda comfort and strength from the beginning. “She made me feel that from that first moment, that we were going to figure this out.”

With her mastectomy and TRAM flap procedure behind her, Dr. Kute and the oncology team at Baptist Health LaGrange then moved on to a treatment tailored to Amanda’s specific needs.

Amanda and her husband found a connection and stability with her oncology nurse, Barbara Mudd, RN. “Barbara was like a guardian angel… She was the face I saw every time I came to Chemo. Barbara made it easy to keep going.”

Barbara believes that drugs are just one component of a broader treatment. Through communication and building relationships with patients and their families, Barbara strives to help the patient deal with the side effects of chemotherapy and offer them hope.

Even with Amanda’s strength, she still believes that Dr. Kute, Barbara Mudd, and the rest of the team are the reason for her success. “They absolutely affected my treatment and my recovery. They absolutely affected my life.”