Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Coworker Thankful for Support from Company, Team During Cancer Journey

(Editor’s note: Melissa Hines is a principal risk and compliance analyst and wrote this first-person account of her cancer journey to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October.)

One year ago, I was told the words no one (especially a 36-year-old like me) is prepared to hear.

“I’m so sorry. You have cancer.”

I can’t even begin to describe what it felt like to prepare for what I knew was a long and scary road ahead. But a huge silver lining in this season of my life can be attributed to my employer, PG&E.

I’m not eligible for a routine mammogram because I’m under 40. So, I found the lump in my breast during a self-examination. What prompted the self-exam was reading an email from a fellow PG&E colleague and board member of the Women’s Network Employee Resource Group.

When I was on the board, I got to know Emily Behr, who had been president of the Women’s Network like me. Over email, Emily bravely shared her diagnosis of finding breast cancer during a routine mammogram. I couldn’t believe someone as young as her had cancer. It really upset me that such a phenomenal young woman was being faced with such a terrifying diagnosis.

When I finished reading her email, I performed my own self-breast exam. The lump I found was later diagnosed as an almost 3-centimeter tumor, putting me at Stage II.B.

After almost two months of poking, prodding, testing and lots of crying, I joined a clinical drug trial at the University of California San Francisco to hopefully help future breast cancer patients.

I found a phenomenal doctor who specializes in my very rare (and aggressive) type of cancer called Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC), a subtype of breast cancer that received its name because it lacks three common receptors—estrogen, progesterone, and HER2/neu —which can make it more challenging to treat.

TNBC accounts for around 10-15% of all breast cancer cases and typically occurs in younger women and African American women. Clinical trials like the one I joined are continually trying new specialized treatments, including immunotherapies to hopefully find a more targeted approach in the future.

After three months of the trial chemotherapy and immunotherapy drugs, I lost my hair, eyebrows, and eyelashes. My skin color was yellowish, and I fought a nasty chemo rash for weeks.

During this time, I was in full-blown survival mode. I was treating symptoms, which then caused other symptoms. I’ve never been more appreciative of my family, friends and company health coverage than I was during this time.

The UCSF oncology staff and so many PG&E coworkers (especially my immediate Corporate Affairs Risk and Compliance team) completely restored my faith in people due to all the love and support I received. It brings tears to my eyes just thinking about this moment in my life as genuine kindness goes such a long way.

I’m so thankful the trial drugs worked their magic. I was cleared for surgery followed by almost four weeks of daily radiation. One week after surgery, I started the FDA-approved immunotherapy drug I’d been receiving on trial every three weeks since March. My active cancer treatment will last exactly one year from when I started back in December 2022.

One of the things that has helped during treatment was joining a “youngish” support group through the Cancer Support Community San Francisco/Bay Area chapter. This amazing nonprofit organization provides support services for cancer patients and their loved ones.

In the spirit of Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, please talk to your family about the importance of routine testing and self-exams!