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“My husband was in the hospital with a major back surgery, and I couldn't call him and say, 'Guess what? I just found out I have cancer,'" said Barbara Brooks, of Unionville.

Diagnosed with Non-invasive Ductal Carcinoma, Barbara was terrified and in shock.

Before her diagnosis, and against her doctor’s wishes, she had delayed getting a mammogram for three years. She didn’t like the discomfort from the compression of the machine, and she didn’t notice any lumps; nor did she have an abnormal history of cancer in her family, so she didn’t think it was necessary.

“I thought 'nothing's wrong with me’; the mammograms are usually negative,” said Barbara.

One day, she changed her mind and set up an appointment for a mammogram.

“I can’t explain it,” she said. “It was just a voice in my head, like you better… just to be sure.”

Good thing for that voice, because Barbara’s doctor found suspicious calcium deposits in her breast.

“When he said cancer, I was in shock,” said Barbara. “I think I quit breathing. I was scared to death. No lumps anywhere; that’s the scary part, no lumps. I never would have known had I not gone out and had a mammogram done.”

Her doctor suggested a six-week radiation treatment, but Barbara said, “no.”

Why did Barbara refuse the radiation treatment? Was it because of fear?

“[Yes], fear because of burn, you lose your hair, you’re sick,” she said.

She wanted to know all of her options, so she began scheduling appointments with oncologists. One of them mentioned MammoSite.

"I went home, got on my computer, did all the research about MammoSite and I thought, 'That's for me; that's the way to go,’" said Barbara.

MammoSite is a type of partial-breast radiation. A balloon-catheter is inserted into the cavity where the cancer is cut-out, and a small wire emits radiation to that area.

“You limit all the side-effects of radiation to a portion of the breast, rather than the entire breast, and that’s what makes it nice,” said Dr. Steven Westgate, a Radiation Oncologist at the George W Rea Cancer Center in Kirksville.

Dr. Westgate said MammoSite and standard six-week radiation appear to be equal in terms of treatment, but MammoSite has one edge over the competition.

"It's a better outcome for the breast,” he said. “I mean, my nurses see it. It's just a more normal-looking and feeling breast, and the women have less complaints, so in that respect, it is a better treatment," said Dr. Westgate.

After a painless and successful treatment, Barbara is a champion. There is a ten-percent chance it could come back, but she’s prepared to fight again.

"Nothing in this world is guaranteed and I know there could be a recurrence, and if it did, it would be in the same area most likely, but I have a very strong faith in God,” said Barbara. “The Lord took me through this whole thing, and I believe in prayer and I really believe he's been with me through this whole thing. There was a reason for me going through this whole experience.”

You might say that “reason” is so Barbara can help others, by sharing her story.

"This could save your life! Every woman out there should know to get a mammogram! I never would have known that I had cancer if I hadn't have had this done,” said Barbara.

For more information on Barbara, or to get in contact with her, click here.