When my very first mammogram revealed stage IIIC breast cancer, I was dealt the shock of my life.

My mother died just seven months after she found out she had lung cancer, and I feared that I, too, would face the same fate. My case was rare for my small town in Mississippi, so my husband and I decided to come to MD Anderson, where we knew the specialized care would give me the best chance at survival.

Leaving home for breast...