Peggy Stephens

Inflammatory Breast Cancer Patient Stories

Peggy Stephens flew from her home in Michigan to visit Fox Chase when they welcomed Dr. Massimo Cristofanilli.

One March morning in 2007, Peggy Stephens was getting ready for work when she noticed something strange. In the shower, she felt a peculiar tingling sensation in her breast, similar to when she was breastfeeding - but her youngest child was almost 4 years old. 

Upon exiting the shower, she noticed a pink patch of skin. "My gut told me something was wrong," Peggy recalled. Sure enough, within the day, the strange symptoms worsened. The pink patch grew larger, and her breast became very hot to the touch. Her husband, Alan, agreed that something was amiss.

That night, Peggy searched the Internet, which repeatedly directed her to Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC). "I woke my husband up at 2 a.m. and I said, 'I know what I have,'" she recalls. Still, it would be 2 months before Peggy received a definitive diagnosis.

IBC is often initially misdiagnosed - as it was for Peggy.

The journey began with a gynecologist, who prescribed an antibiotic because she suspected Peggy had mastitis (a breast infection). When her symptoms didn't improve, she underwent several tests but none showed any sign for concern. A digital mammogram finally revealed something concrete: microcalcification, or specks of calcium, which is often a sign of breast cancer. A biopsy confirmed what Peggy had been sure about 2 months earlier: she had IBC.

"I knew it wasn't what I wanted," she says, "but at least it was an answer."

Peggy knew from her research that IBC spreads rapidly, so she made an appointment with a medical oncologist who ordered an MRI and a bone scan. The tests revealed that the disease had spread to her lymph nodes.

Given this serious news, Peggy began an aggressive treatment regimen at her local hospital in suburban Detroit. After 8 rounds of chemotherapy, she had a bilateral mastectomy in August 2007.

Meanwhile, Peggy's sister Mary, who had been accompanying her to oncology appointments, began to do some research of her own. She read about a noted IBC expert, Dr. Massimo Cristofanilli. Mary suggested that Peggy should finish her treatment with him. Before making a decision, Peggy connected with Valerie Fraser, an IBC patient from her area who was treated by Dr. Cristofanilli.

"Everything I heard indicated that Dr. Cristofanilli was the guy to go to if you have IBC."

She decided to see him, and hasn't looked back since. "Once I met Dr. Cristofanilli, I knew that I was where I was supposed to be--not just because of his knowledge, but because of his very caring manner," Peggy says. "I knew that he would do whatever he could to save my life."

She had 5 weeks of twice-a-day radiation in Houston, where Dr. Cristofanilli was based at the time. He then offered to work with her oncologist in Michigan so she could receive the rest of her infusions closer to home.

"It was great to be home after being away from my family for 5 weeks," Peggy says.

Finally, after radiation, tests showed that Peggy's IBC was in remission. Peggy has been taking Tamoxifen to prevent recurrence, however, she had a scare in July 2010 when she developed a red rash and bumps along her incision site. She sent pictures of her symptoms to Dr. Cristofanilli for his review. "Dr. Cristofanilli was on vacation with his family in Italy, yet he responded to tell me he wanted me to come to Fox Chase for a biopsy. That's just how dedicated he is," Peggy says. Luckily, it turned out to be a false alarm as her body still showed no evidence of disease.

"Everyone I met at Fox Chase was wonderful - very warm and welcoming."

"Everyone I met at Fox Chase was wonderful - very warm and welcoming," shared Peggy. "Fox Chase is an awesome place to be." She stayed at the American Cancer Society Astra Zeneca Hope Lodge, across the street from Fox Chase, where patients who live over 40 miles or a one-hour drive from the hospital can stay at no cost. To stay at Hope Lodge, patients need a referral from their physician's office, health care professional or social work representative.

Throughout her treatment, Peggy was moved by the support of her family, and she urges other cancer patients to welcome family into the journey. "Don't be too proud," she advises. "Use all of your friends and family members who want to help." Peggy's children, Jack and Samantha, were only 4 and 11 during her treatment, and they responded to the experience in different ways.

"We had a head shaving party and Jack just immediately touched my head and said, 'Yeah Mom! Cool!'" Peggy recalls. It was harder on Samantha, but Peggy says she used the experience to set an example for her daughter of how to be positive and confront challenges.

From one of life's challenges, a business was born.

Her husband, Alan, was also inspired by Peggy's experience. Based on an idea she had during treatment, he is developing a business in her honor called Caring Baskets by Design. The gift baskets, which can be given to cancer patients or sold in hospital gift shops, are designed to ease the treatment journey for both patients and caregivers by providing useful, comforting and all-natural items such as soothing tea, lip balm and hand lotion.

And Peggy has taken on a project of her own: since January 2009, she has served as the secretary for the IBC Foundation, a national network of citizens devoted to IBC awareness. Through this venture, she helps spread what she believes is the most important message about IBC.

"If you feel in your gut that something's not right, pursue it," Peggy stresses. "Don't give up."