A Young Mother Bounces Back from Breast Cancer

With 2021 marking the 50th anniversary milestone of Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, we’re sharing patient success stories that show the impact of compassionate cancer care. In the case of Gonzales resident Jennifer Brooks, expert treatment improved her chances for survivorship and lessened the burden of cancer as she simultaneously adjusted to life with a newborn.

If anyone knows how it feels to be busy, it’s a working mom with a newborn. That’s where Gonzales resident Jennifer Brooks found herself in the spring of 2020 when she and husband, Vince, were navigating the joyful—and exhausting—new rhythm of raising their baby girl, Austen, born that March.  

After recovering from a Caesarean section, Jennifer went to her OBGYN at Woman’s Hospital for an annual check-up that summer, and received a clean bill of health. But two weeks later, she felt an uncomfortable lump in her breast while putting on a sports bra. “The last thing I had time for, or wanted to do, was to have to go sit in a doctor’s office just to be told I was healthy,” says Jennifer, then thirty-five. “But something told me to go get it checked out.”

After all, says Jennifer, life was different now. She had an infant, and as someone in her thirties, she was taking her health more seriously.

“When you’re in your twenties, it’s easy to ignore your body. You think you’re invulnerable,” Jennifer says. “But now in my thirties, I wanted to take better care of myself.”

Jennifer’s lump was biopsied, and a little over a week later, the results revealed she had Stage 3C breast cancer. In the blink of an eye, this first time mom’s focus went from adjusting to parenthood to adjusting to a cancer diagnosis.

“It was a shock,” Jennifer says. “But I had a dream team of doctors, and a plan for how to address it. Everything was explained very clearly.”

There was no question that Jennifer would remain in the greater Baton Rouge area for her treatment, she says. While she and Vince are both transplants to Louisiana, they felt most comfortable and supported in their adopted home and were grateful for a quality care option here. 

Following a mastectomy, Jennifer underwent sixteen rounds of chemotherapy at the Breast and GYN Cancer Pavilion, a partnership between Woman’s Hospital and Mary Bird Perkins – Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Center.

“Because it was during COVID-19, I had to be there alone, but everyone who took care of me was so supportive and nurturing,” Jennifer says.

Jennifer’s faith and positive attitude helped her stay strong throughout her chemo treatments. Her body responded well; she was buoyed by the excitement of watching baby Austen grow. But her treatment wasn’t over. Jennifer would also receive thirty-three rounds of radiation therapy at the Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Gonzales.

“When you have to go pretty much daily for radiation, it’s nice to be really close to home,” Jennifer says. “I loved the team there. I received so much personal attention and compassion.”

Three months ago, Jennifer completed her last treatment and is now cancer free, thanks in large part to early detection. She returns to Mary Bird Perkins’ main campus on Essen Lane each month for follow-up appointments.

The road hasn’t been easy, Jennifer says, but now she and Vince can return their focus to Austen, an energetic toddler with a mind of her own. Jennifer says she remains grateful for the quick response and comprehensive treatment she received from Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center.

“Mary Bird is an extension of my family at this point. They’ve been through a very personal time with me, and they’ve cheered for me and felt emotions with me,” Jennifer says. “Without them, I wouldn’t be alive to celebrate milestones with my daughter.”

Learn more at breastandgyncancer.org.

Sponsored by Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center