Tucson breast cancer survivor shares importance of getting mammogram

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — October is breast cancer awareness month and KGUN 9 is sharing several stories of survivors of breast cancer. We sat down with one Tucson woman who hopes in sharing her stories others will make sure to get their annual mammogram and get checked.

"My doctor called and said you have breast cancer..do you know a surgeon?" Leah Sarconi said.

Sarconi found out she had breast cancer in 2012 after getting her annual mammogram.

"I had a planned hysterectomy on July 20th got a mammogram during my pre-op visits for that and a couple of days later they called and said we needed to run more tests and I had a lumpectomy in 05," Sarconi said. "So I knew what was going to be coming."

Sarconi had breast surgery where they took 8 lymph nodes from her right side breast.

"It was just the unknown not knowing if I was going to have to have chemo or radiation you don't know until after the surgery," Sarconi said.

She hopes in sharing her story others will make sure to get checked regularly.

"You know why did this happen to me? Don't know," Sarconi said. "I feel like ten years later this is my why and I'm here to tell my story and my testimony and I'm here to help others with their journey. It's very difficult to go along with your life, like nothing is happening and then you get thrown a curve ball and you have no control over it."

In spite of it all she says she's proud to be a survivor and has been lucky to get support from other survivors and even help from one local non-profit knitted knockers that makes knitted prosthetics for breast cancer survivors.

"They're adjustable, there's a little thread here that you can put more filling in them or take some out," Sarconi said.