“Hopefully, I can now stay in remission for the rest of my life.”
Your whole life can change in a day. For 28-year-old Vina Mohabir, that’s all the time it took for her to be tested and diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. “Everything happened so fast,” Vina recalled.
After seeking treatment for a bleeding nipple, she was immediately referred to the Gattuso Rapid Diagnostic Centre at The Princess Margaret. Thanks to philanthropy, the centre has been streamlining the diagnostic process for patients since it opened in 2009. "It's an amazing resource that works extremely well and has made a huge impact on so many people's lives," says Dr. Tulin Cil, Vina's surgical oncologist and the Gattuso Chair in Breast Surgical Oncology.
At the centre, Vina received an ultrasound, mammogram, biopsy, and preliminary diagnosis all on the same day. Suddenly, instead of preparing to start grad school, she was preparing to start cancer treatment.
In just 10 months, Vina overcame her cancer. She praises her care team for not only acting so quickly but for providing her with a personalized treatment plan as well.
“It’s incredible that they’re able to target and shut down my hormone receptors to prevent any cancer from coming back,” she said. “Even five years ago, that treatment didn’t exist. Hopefully, I can now stay in remission for the rest of my life.”
“Having support for breast cancer research is key to moving the field forward,” said Dr. Cil. “None of the research that we do would really be possible without the support that we get from donors. It makes early detection and rapid treatment possible. For so many patients like Vina, this means better outcomes.”
Having support for breast cancer research is key to moving the field forward.Dr. Tulin Cil
Breast Surgical Oncologist, Gattuso Chair in Breast Surgical Oncology