HELENA — HELENA — Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed among women in Montana, accounting for 33% of all new cancers each year, according to the Montana Department of Public Health & Human Services. On average, 966 new cases are diagnosed in Montana annually, and this is the story of Helena resident Sarah Burke.
“The ringing of the bell is just so significant to being done and feeling like I have completed this,” said Burke.
Sarah Burke shares her cancer journey - watch the video:
It took a lot for Sarah Burke and her family to get to this moment, all crammed into an emotional rollercoaster of a year.
“My husband and I and my kids were able to grow closer because of it,” Burke says. “They were by my side every step of the way, and I found more strength than I ever thought was possible.”
Burke was screening every six months due to the density of her breasts and had a clean scan in September 2023, but something felt off when doing a self-exam five months later. It was invasive stage 3 cancer in both breasts.
“I am going to fight this as hard as I can, just bring it. I got this, we are going to do it all,” Burke said.
Do it all she did, surgery, dozens of rounds of chemo and radiation, the hurdle of having a seizure due to chemo, and a potential brain tumor.
Burke says, “I was just like that was definitely the lowest point of this whole thing, even more than finding out.”
But those lows are exactly why she wants to share her story and inspire other women.
“I am here to say you are stronger than you think you will ever be, and you will get through this,” said Burke.
As Burke continues to live life as a mother and wife, she hopes to honor the women going through the same thing.
She says, “to embrace life is fueled by my faith in God and also to honor the other women who have gone through this ahead of me, and especially to honor those who didn’t get to ring the bell.”
WATCH - the importance of getting a mammogram:
Routine mammograms and breast self-exams are something Burke believes saved her life because of the early detection.
Dr. Betty Plate with St. Peter’s Health says, “Mammograms are important because of how common breast cancer is and is the top cancer killer of women in the U.S., and because it is so common, we really need to be screening for it.”
It is recommended that women start getting mammograms at age 40 annually, and those at higher risk or with a family history should start screening earlier.
“The earlier we detect breast cancer, the more effective our treatments are and the less sick you get from those treatments, and you also have a higher chance of surviving breast cancer,” Dr. Plate said.
For more information on mammograms and what to look for on breast self-exam, you can visit this link.
