The Woman Next Door is a Survivor
This month, in partnership with AdventHealth for Women, we’re recognizing some of the women in our community who are survivors of breast cancer, who have had a recurrence, or who are currently going through treatment. To us, all of these women are survivors in their own right. It is the hope of these women that by telling their stories they inspire and educate other women who are facing a breast cancer diagnosis. Meet Jana Sutter.
Jana Sutter
iHeartRadio, Magic 107.7 and XL 106.7 radio host Jana Sutter says just like a lot of women, she often puts others’ needs, especially her daughters, before her own.
Because her mother was a breast cancer survivor, Jana had annual mammograms early on. Then the pandemic hit, and Jana’s annual mammogram got pushed back by six months. When she finally had her appointment, she was expecting to be told everything was fine. When she didn’t get that message, she said everything just stopped. “The biopsy came back. It was stage 1 breast cancer. That was something I wasn’t prepared for.”
Although it was scary, Jana feels infinitely lucky she caught it early. She says she got a lot of support from her mom. “My mom’s form of breast cancer may have been different than mine, but she had walked down a lot of the same streets I was going to have to walk down. I leaned on her, and my core group friends. I needed it.”
For the last 12 years Jana has partnered with AdventHealth to encourage women to get regular mammograms on her radio programs, social media and events. She also reminds women to make sure that they are taking care of themselves as much as they are taking care of everyone else. “I have to remember that too. I do a pretty good job of it, but I think as women we just go into caretaker mode and can put our own needs on the back burner. I won’t do that anymore,” Jana says.
Having just finished her treatment this summer, Jana says facing her own mortality has given her a new outlook on life. “I’m living a life less filtered. I want to be an example for my daughter and other women about living honestly. Don’t wait to say what you mean or do what you want. Now is the time. Make yourself, your health and your joy the priority.”