John North
After losing his wife and then discovering he had breast cancer, John is grateful for his recovery and aims to inspire through his story.
In March 2023, John North lost his wife of 28 years after a long illness, leaving John and his adult daughter, Caitlin, who is on the autism spectrum to take care of each other. John realized he needed to be proactive about his own health to make sure he would be around for Caitlin, so he found a new primary care physician and scheduled an appointment.
At his first visit, John talked to his doctor about his health history and symptoms he had been experiencing, following her recommendations for treatment over the next few months. In early August, following his recovery from both Covid and neck surgery, John returned to his primary care physician for a follow up appointment. During the exam, his doctor found a very subtle abnormality in the nipple of his left breast — something John had not noticed before — and recommended a mammogram.
On the day of the mammogram, John attempted to make light of the situation with jokes about being a man having these exams. The technicians assured him it is quite common for men to have mammograms. About 1 out of every 100 breast cancers diagnosed in the United States is found in a man.
The mammogram and an ultrasound revealed a suspicious mass in John’s left breast. A follow up biopsy confirmed John had Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, a very common and treatable form of breast cancer. Additional testing followed and confirmed the cancer had not spread beyond the breast. On September 29, John underwent a modified radical mastectomy and lymph node biopsy at Oviedo Medical Center. Today, he is recovering well from surgery and will following up with an oncologist to determine if chemotherapy is needed to ensure the cancer does not return.
As he continues to recover, John said he is searching for the right way to adequately express his gratitude for the compassionate care he received from his care team at Oviedo Medical Center and the physicians who saved his life, and more importantly Caitlin’s dad’s life.
“How do you adequately thank someone for saving a guy who is raising a beautiful daughter with special needs?” John asked.
Sharing your story of strength, bravery and determination to inspire others is thanks enough, John!