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122: Christine Handy survived HER2+ breast cancer | mastectomy | herceptin | taxol | lumpectomy | MRSA
Christine Handy withstood osteomyelitis in her right arm, a lumpectomy, two mastectomies and a MRSA infection en route to surviving HER2+ breast cancer. It wasn’t easy, but her road to survivorship included a 28-round chemotherapy regimen with herceptin and taxol. She has gone on to resume her career as a runway model, author, film producer and motivational speaker.
In addition to being a runway model and the other of small children, Christine Handy of Miami, Florida enjoyed an active lifestyle that included tennis and surfing. However, at age 42, while showering she discovered a lump on her chest. At the same time, she noticed her hair thinning and a loss of appetite. This led to her diagnosis of breast cancer.
Her diagnosis of HER2+ breast cancer necessitated the usage of the drug herceptin, which added 12 rounds of chemotherapy. Combined with taxol, Christine went through 28 rounds of chemo covering a grueling 15 months.
Christine Handy’s cancer journey involved problems other than cancer. She was also dealing with osteomyelitis, a bone infection in her right arm, which required a picc line into the arm for about six weeks. At the time Christine was diagnosed with cancer, her right arm had just been reconstructed from cadaver bones and bone grafts. Doctors agreed that Christine started breast cancer-related chemotherapy right away, it would dissolve the bone grafts in her reconstructed arm. Her oncologist said it would be better to perform a lumpectomy, without chemo, which would not adversely affect the procedure done on her arm.
It was about a month when chemotherapy began, which would require one mastectomy in 2013, and a second one at a later time. The chemo left Christine very frail and thin, weighing about 90 pounds. She was very ill and that resulted in the second mastectomy not taking place until 2016.
The second mastectomy had its challenges. The second procedure involved implants needed several revisions, six in all, which were both painful and frustrating.
There was more pain and frustration for Christine Handy when she learned she had a MRSA infection on her implant. This infection, originally diagnosed as a staph infection, had her in and out of the hospital for an additional three months.
Even after her chemotherapy treatment ended, there were other problems. She lost a few teeth, had a liver spot and had to see a heart doctor, which she does to this day. Christine said it wasn’t until four years her chemo concluded that she started feeling like herself again.
Christine is back to modeling and helping women. She urges anyone on a cancer journey should not try to do so alone.
Additional Resources:
Christine’s Book: Walk Beside Me, available on Amazon
Christine’s Film: Hello, Beautiful https://m.imdb.com/title/tt9018874/
Christine’s Website: https://www.christinehandy.com
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By Jim Foster
5
22 ratings
Christine Handy withstood osteomyelitis in her right arm, a lumpectomy, two mastectomies and a MRSA infection en route to surviving HER2+ breast cancer. It wasn’t easy, but her road to survivorship included a 28-round chemotherapy regimen with herceptin and taxol. She has gone on to resume her career as a runway model, author, film producer and motivational speaker.
In addition to being a runway model and the other of small children, Christine Handy of Miami, Florida enjoyed an active lifestyle that included tennis and surfing. However, at age 42, while showering she discovered a lump on her chest. At the same time, she noticed her hair thinning and a loss of appetite. This led to her diagnosis of breast cancer.
Her diagnosis of HER2+ breast cancer necessitated the usage of the drug herceptin, which added 12 rounds of chemotherapy. Combined with taxol, Christine went through 28 rounds of chemo covering a grueling 15 months.
Christine Handy’s cancer journey involved problems other than cancer. She was also dealing with osteomyelitis, a bone infection in her right arm, which required a picc line into the arm for about six weeks. At the time Christine was diagnosed with cancer, her right arm had just been reconstructed from cadaver bones and bone grafts. Doctors agreed that Christine started breast cancer-related chemotherapy right away, it would dissolve the bone grafts in her reconstructed arm. Her oncologist said it would be better to perform a lumpectomy, without chemo, which would not adversely affect the procedure done on her arm.
It was about a month when chemotherapy began, which would require one mastectomy in 2013, and a second one at a later time. The chemo left Christine very frail and thin, weighing about 90 pounds. She was very ill and that resulted in the second mastectomy not taking place until 2016.
The second mastectomy had its challenges. The second procedure involved implants needed several revisions, six in all, which were both painful and frustrating.
There was more pain and frustration for Christine Handy when she learned she had a MRSA infection on her implant. This infection, originally diagnosed as a staph infection, had her in and out of the hospital for an additional three months.
Even after her chemotherapy treatment ended, there were other problems. She lost a few teeth, had a liver spot and had to see a heart doctor, which she does to this day. Christine said it wasn’t until four years her chemo concluded that she started feeling like herself again.
Christine is back to modeling and helping women. She urges anyone on a cancer journey should not try to do so alone.
Additional Resources:
Christine’s Book: Walk Beside Me, available on Amazon
Christine’s Film: Hello, Beautiful https://m.imdb.com/title/tt9018874/
Christine’s Website: https://www.christinehandy.com