Sisters In Survival: How a mammographer’s diagnosis led to answers for her family

GERMANTOWN, Tenn. (WMC) - As Breast Cancer Awareness Month comes to a close, one Mid-South family is sharing what can happen when one woman decides to get answers.

Dorethea Ray has been a mammographer for nearly three decades. She works at the Methodist Comprehensive Breast Center in Germantown and has read thousands of scans. But in late 2023, she was the one in the gown.

“It was different. It was a different kind of world. Even though I’ve done mammography 28 years, you think you know a lot — until you’re going through it.”

From “high-risk lesion” to a genetic test

Ray’s first biopsy came back as a high-risk lesion. After surgery to remove it, the diagnosis changed to Ductal carcinoma in situ or DCIS -- an early, non-invasive form of breast cancer. She says it was Stage 1.

A radiologist at her workplace also kept encouraging her to take one more step.

“She would catch me in the hallway and say, ‘Have you done your genetic testing yet?’ I’m like, ‘no — and I don’t want to.’”

Ray eventually agreed to the test and the result was positive for a mutation in the Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated gene or ATM gene mutation, which is far less well known than BRCA, but also raises the risk of pancreatic and colon cancer.

The result changed her treatment plan. She’d been headed for a lumpectomy with radiation. Instead, she had a bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction.

“It changed from lumpectomy with radiation to bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction because — number one — with the ATM mutation ... they don’t really prefer radiation. It can affect your outcome.”

A group chat, then more diagnoses

Ray told her sisters the way the family shares most things: in a group chat.

“I just got in the group chat that afternoon and said, ‘Hey guys, guess what — I had my mammogram, had a biopsy, and it was cancer.’”

Her sister Wanda Adams had been getting mammograms every year. She also did regular self-checks, and one night she felt something that worried her. Ray’s news told her it was time to go in.

“One night it’s just like, ‘wait a minute, what’s going on here?’ And when Dorethea mentioned hers... I knew, it’s time to go.”

Adams was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer and tested positive for the same ATM mutation.

“It was heartbreaking, honestly. My heart was just hurting. It’s like, oh man — what does this mean? What’s next? What do I do?”

Sister Jacqueline Shumpert already had a screening on the calendar. She says she had missed a mammogram before, and she believes going this time made a difference.

“If I had not gone, the situation would be a lot worse. So I do encourage all women — men and women — to have their screening done. Do not procrastinate.”

Jacqueline was also diagnosed with breast cancer.

Where the family stands now

All of Ray’s sisters carry the ATM mutation. But, only Ray, Adams and Shumpert have had breast cancer. Although a fourth sister has the gene mutation, she has not developed cancer. And, because ATM can affect men too, the sisters’ brother has begun asking questions about his own risk.

Ray says she has seen men with BRCA mutations come through her clinic, and that men are diagnosed with breast cancer there, too.

“Yes, men are susceptible to all of those. We do have men come in that are diagnosed with breast cancer.”

Adams and Shumpert both went through treatment, and Ray had her surgery. Today, the sisters say they’re doing well. Adams says leaning on her sisters made the difference.

“...and with both my sisters, us together, communicating and talking with each other, really... yeah... we helped each other through this...”

Ray doesn’t carry guilt about being the one who set it all in motion. She sees it differently.

“I felt more of it like a ministry. I felt like this is God’s chance to use me to help someone else.”

Talking to the next generation

The sisters are now making sure their children don’t wait. Adams says two of her daughters have had genetic testing. The rest are hesitant.

“...and the other three are kind of like a little nervous about it.”

Their message: don’t assume you’re in the clear.

The sisters’ advice for Breast Cancer Awareness Month is not to assume you’re safe because no one in your family has had breast cancer.

“There’s always a beginning to every piece of history that ever happens. You don’t want to be the first.”

For Shumpert, the message is about not letting fear win.

“It’s better to know than not to know. My thing is to pray about it. Give it to God.”

What to know about the ATM gene

According to the American Cancer Society, only about 1% of people carry a mutation like the one this family shares. It can raise the risk of breast cancer, and also of pancreatic and colon cancer. Experts recommend that anyone with a family history of those cancers talk to their doctor about genetic testing.

Click here to sign up for our newsletter!

Click here to report a spelling or grammar error. Please include the headline.