Vanessa Wrench
Ten years ago, Vanessa did everything she could to prevent breast cancer from happening to her. Which is why it came as a shock when she discovered she had breast cancer in 2022.
Imagine doing everything in your power to prevent breast cancer: you go for annual mammograms, you get tested for the breast cancer (BRCA) gene to see if you are at risk, and when that comes back positive, you undergo a double mastectomy and hysterectomy to take every precaution. Imagine doing everything you can think of to protect your health, only to be diagnosed with breast cancer 10 years later?
That’s exactly what happened to Vanessa Wrench, a 60-year-old Kansas City native and mother. While she admitted there were concerns about her diagnosis, she felt more empowered to find answers rather than be overcome with emotions.
“My sisters call me a warrior because I don’ let things get me down, nor do I cry, give up, or think I am weak,” she said. “I didn’t cry when I heard the diagnosis. I just had one question I kept asking. Why did this happen to me? I did everything I could to prevent this. Why me?”
Ten years prior, Vanessa was diagnosed with Stage 0 DCIS, or a non-invasive or pre-invasive breast cancer. This first diagnosis didn’t necessarily come as a shock to Vanessa. Her youngest sister died from stage four breast cancer and her mother had died from pancreatic cancer.
She had been treated for cancer and had also tested for the BRCA gene, which came back positive. Since then, she’d undergone a double mastectomy and hysterectomy. After her surgery with a plastic surgery team, she went back into the care of Oncologist Dr. Jaswinder Singh at Sarah Cannon Cancer Center at Research Medical Center for regular checkups and screenings.
When she found a lump under arm pit in April 2022, a biopsy revealed the presence of cancer; Stage three. This came as a shock to her and her care team; Dr. Singh informed her that, although rare, likely small surrounding breast tissue that had been left behind from her previous surgery was the reasoning for her diagnosis.
Since then, Vanessa’s actively been involved in a treatment plan through Sarah Cannon Cancer Center, a plan that has included surgery, radiation, 16 weeks of chemotherapy and a recommendation for five years of monitoring; an additional biopsy of a lymphoid confirmed that the cancer had not spread.
“My complete care team at Sarah Cannon Cancer Center has been amazing, from the nurses to my case manager. They treated me like a queen. I don’t know if it is because my case was so unique, but everyone on the care team was awesome.”
Vanessa said if she had to be thankful for anybody in particular, it would be Dr. Singh. “He immediately jumped on it to make sure I would not have to face this again because I shouldn’t have had to face it to begin with. He made sure I had everything I needed.”
Vanessa now encourages all women in her life to stay strong and on top of their health, including encouraging her daughter to get tested for the BRCA gene. When her test came back positive, she too underwent a hysterectomy and plans to undergo a double mastectomy.
“If you don’t have a mammogram or go to your doctor’s office regularly, you are paying for your health.”
Vanessa came back to reunite to Dr. Singh and her Sarah Cannon Cancer Center team during Research Medical Center's annual Thankful Families Celebration Event in November 2022.