Bernice Whitehead

Breast Cancer Patient Stories

Cancer has been part of Bernice Whitehead's family as long as she can remember. "My family history is just horrendous," said the New Jersey resident, who lost her mother at age 65 to breast cancer. "I think we've had just every kind of cancer you can think of."

Her own journey began with breast cancer in 1992, a trail blazed by her sister, who had the exact same diagnoses less than a year earlier. "She went through everything with me stage by stage, which helped a lot," Bernice recalled.

"My style is, once I'm diagnosed with a problem, let's do it, get it done and get it behind me."

Several years later, in 1999, Bernice was diagnosed with uterine cancer. If a second diagnosis weren't enough, a spot was discovered on her lung during her pre-op testing. In each case, Bernice had surgery and radiation. "My style is, once I'm diagnosed with a problem, let's do it, get it done and get it behind me," said the perpetually upbeat retired government worker.

In November 2010, at the age of 75, Bernice received her fourth diagnosis - cancer in her left breast and had not one, but two surgeries. For follow up radiation, she hit a bump in the road. In the decade-plus since her first cancer, the radiation oncologist she'd used had retired. "The clinic I'd gone to had become a veterinary office - they were using my machines on animals!"

Driving distance was important to Bernice, who was thrilled to find Fox Chase's Buckingham satellite location.

In choosing a new treatment center, driving distance was important to Bernice, "I'm older now, and don't want to go much more than a half hour from my house." She'd seen advertisements for Fox Chase Cancer Center Buckingham, and decided to make an appointment with Shelly Hayes, MD, director of the Buckingham center.

"To know Dr. Hayes is to love her."

"To know Dr. Hayes is to love her," said Bernice, who felt immediately comfortable and at home during her consultation. "She sat right down with me, answered all my questions. Every single person on her staff is just spectacular." Dr. Hayes said Bernice was a great candidate for CyberKnife targeted radiation, a treatment that delivers radiation with sub-millimeter accuracy using image-guidance technology and computer-controlled robotics.

"Machines have changed a lot since I had my first radiation treatment in 1993," she said. "I had to get mapped - it was all very high tech. And my skin did not react badly as it did all those years ago. The technology was just amazing."

"I'd just like to bring the whole [Buckingham] staff home and keep them."

Bernice had 32 radiation treatments at Fox Chase Buckingham, and in a way, was sorry to see her experience end. "I'd just like to bring the whole staff home and keep them. They are the most fabulous and smart group of young people, I really didn't like to say goodbye to them."

Bernice hopes for the best, and is pleased to report that her health is good and she's passing her regular follow up tests with flying colors. "But if I need help again, I know where I'll be going," she said. "To Dr. Hayes and Fox Chase Cancer Center Buckingham."