Discover Lafayette welcomed Surgical Oncologist Dr. Shaunda Grisby of Oschner Lafayette General to discuss her journey in medicine and her mission in helping people be free of breast cancer.

With October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a yearly event held to increase awareness of the disease (which is the most common cancer in women aside from some types of skin cancer), it seemed a fitting time to shine the light on Dr. Grisby. A general surgeon, Dr. Grisby is fellowship-trained in Breast Surgical Oncology with advanced techniques such as oncoplastic breast surgery, nipple-sparing mastectomy, skin-sparing mastectomy, and management of benign breast diseases.

Originally from Northern California, Dr. Grisby studied to earn a Doctor of Medicine at the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science and the David Geffin School of Medicine at UCLA, a medical program that "provides training in the scholarly and humane aspects of medicine and fosters the development of leaders who will advance medical practice and knowledge in underserved areas in the United States and abroad." She went on to be a general surgery resident at Easton School of Medicine in Pennsylvania and completed a breast surgical oncological fellowship in Michigan at the William Beaumont Hospital.

Dr. Grisby's parents were originally from the Shreveport area, and she had maintained ties to Louisiana. With Louisiana consistently being ranked #3 in breast cancer mortality, Dr. Grisby found Lafayette to fit the bill as the perfect site for her medical practice and to have the opportunity to make a real difference in health outcomes. She moved to Lafayette from Michigan in 2017.

Dr. Grisby believes that education is the first step in helping people become aware of the need to have routine check-ups and prevent cancer from becoming invasive. She has worked diligently to teach breast cancer awareness and breast cancer prevention throughout the region, sharing her compassionate and caring voice to the community. Her message on positive lifestyle choices includes such measures as eating a varied diet with a focus on healthy oils such as olive and avocado and "good" carbohydrates such as fruits and vegetables, getting in exercise for 30 minutes several times a week, and limiting alcohol consumption. It's been hard during COVID for many of us to get inadequate exercise so her advice is to be creative and fit in exercise when you can, even if it means walking around the house.

In recognition of her work in Acadiana to increase breast health, Dr. Grisby was recently honored as a 2020 SPIRIT OF HOPE HONOREE by the American Cancer Society.

In recognition of her work in Acadiana to increase breast health, Dr. Grisby was recently honored as a 2020 SPIRIT OF HOPE HONOREE by the American Cancer Society.

While many believe that having a genetic mutation linked to breast cancer is the biggest risk an individual may face, in fact, approximately 12.5 % of women will develop breast cancer during their lifetime no matter what their genetic make-up or family history is. Standard protocol is that women should begin having mammograms at the age of 40; however, if the individual has close relatives (such as grandmothers, mother, sisters, or aunts on either side of the family) who have had breast cancer diagnosed by the age of 40, they should begin having mammograms by the age of 30 and have additional screenings each year. It is not recommended that mammograms be conducted on younger women as their breast tissue is at a less developed stage and mammograms can be difficult to interpret. Physicians may recommend a breast ultrasound for patients under 30 years of age as the best imaging modality.

Dr. Grisby's typical patient presents after having a diagnostic screeni...