A World of Support: Nancy's Breast Cancer Journey
Story by Alexis Wisler
In May 2023, Nancy Herting received news that made time stop: She had breast cancer.
Thoughts swarmed. Why me? Why now? What am I going to do? Looking at her MyChart message, Nancy felt alone.
But she learned she had an entire support system ready for her at the Kettering Health Cancer Center.
The path forward
Community members Nancy and her husband, Greg, met with her oncologist, Dr. Emily Franks. Nancy was scared. But as Dr. Franks detailed the treatment plan, Nancy knew she’d be there for her every step of the way.
“We felt a connection with Dr. Franks,” Nancy says, “and you could tell she cared. That was the big thing. She genuinely took interest in us.”
Before her treatment—a mastectomy followed by four rounds of chemotherapy— Dr. Franks informed Nancy of several programs available to help patients.
Nancy then attended the Navigating Breast Cancer class, which “answered a lot of my questions,” she says. “It put me at ease.”
She met others in the class who would be there for her throughout her cancer treatment, making the Cancer Center an extension of home.
“I feel 100% comfortable at the Cancer Center,” Nancy says. “Any time I go there, I see people that have been supportive.”
And the support didn’t end there.
Mental and physical support
To build her strength for surgery, Nancy attended physical therapy at Maple Tree Cancer Alliance, a nonprofit that partnered with Kettering Health for cancer patients. She felt so supported that she continued to go throughout her treatment.
“I chose to stay because the people there really care,” Nancy says. “They want to see you get better.”
She also joined Courageous Beauty, a free class funded by the Kettering Health Foundation designed to help women embrace their changing appearance during cancer treatment.
“Unfortunately, chemotherapy takes a toll on your body,” she says. “Your skin, your nails—everything.”
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