Cheryl Lee Raye
June 2026 CALENDAR
My name is Cheryl Lee Raye and my life took a turn in a direction that I did not plan on going. The date that my health GPS started rerouting was September 21, 2022.
I had a routine mammogram scheduled at Midstate Medical Center. This is what I’ve been doing for the past few years because of my history of a left breast lumpectomy at the age of 18.
I arrived on time, went through the normal gestures of signing in and waited to be called to the mammogram department. I was called in and the procedure was done. It went well and I went home. I could now go on my merry way and start my day, which I did.
The phone rang the next day. It was the radiology department asking me to come in for a mammogram and an ultrasound for a recheck. “Okay,” I answered, knowing it was not uncommon, so I scheduled my new appointment for September 25, 2022. On that day, my life would forever be changed.
Following the completion of those two tests, I met with Dr. Whitney Young, a Surgical Oncologist. I remained positive until after all the formalities were done. She asked if anyone was with me. I said no because dummy me told my husband to stay home since this was just routine. But it wasn’t routine at all. She had sincere concern in her facial expression when she said, “Mrs. Raye, I’m sorry to tell you that you have breast cancer.”
I heard her, but I didn’t want to hear her. The tears rolled down my cheeks and I softly sobbed thinking I should have had my husband Charles with me.
As she handed me some tissue and took my hands, her concerned soft voice said we will get through this. “Peace be still.” It was a long drive home and I was less than 10 minutes away from the hospital. I told Charles the news. He was shocked and gave me all the support I needed during this time and helped me make the right treatment decisions.
Now all the testing would commence. When I say testing, no stone was left unturned.
November 6, 2022, genetics testing was done (which is a saliva test) performed by Army Corps Genetics. The hereditary cancer gene test was negative.
Dr. Young also wanted to rule out any possibility of cancer in my right breast, so I underwent a right breast core biopsy. The results for cancer were negative.
After all the necessary tests were done, including a genetic study, I had the necessary surgery of a left breast lumpectomy with one inflamed left axillary node removed. Recovery went well. I had 15 sessions of radiation treatment. No chemotherapy was needed. Thank you, God, it is done. I am cancer free.
My thanks go to God for blessing me with the tremendous support that I have received: my wonderful husband Charles; my children, Todd, Michele and Harold; my six siblings; my Dixwell Church family; the hospital staff and especially, Carolyn Jackson.
Carolyn and I shared this journey together because we were diagnosed about a month apart. We knew each other’s pain physically and emotionally very well.