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Nikki Katz on her cancer recovery
"Recovering from cancer was one of the best experiences of my life"
Pilates and spinning instructor, Nikki Katz had always lived an active, healthy life with her husband and three children so her breast cancer diagnosis in 2012 came as a shock to her and her family. “Looking back to 2012, there is a lot that is hazy but certain dates stand out. 10th October. 11th October. 12th October. And then exactly one month later; the 12th of November.”
Following a routine breast examination and mammogram, her doctor was concerned. “It was the 10th of October. I went for my standard check-up which I did every year with my friend and I was always very strict with myself that I went for an annual mammogram.”
Nikki had good reason to ensure she went for these health checks – a strong family history of breast cancer with both her mother and aunt being breast cancer survivors. “When my doctor said it wasn’t good news, I sank in my chair. I felt numb. I was told to return the next morning – another date that I remember so well – the 11th.
At this appointment, Nikki had a procedure called a core biopsy – where a sample of breast tissue is taken from the areola. “I noticed that my doctor had marked it ‘urgent’ and I had a deep sense of foreboding. I couldn’t shake the feeling that the worst was yet to come.”
A day later, the news came back that Nikki’s sample was indeed malignant. “I spoke to one of my Pilates students about my diagnosis and she immediately suggested Dr Carol Benn, a renowned breast surgeon at Milpark Hospital. I phoned her and managed to get an appointment for the following week – an 8.30pm appointment which ended up being an 11pm one with how busy Dr Benn was that week.”
The value of a support system
With a waiting room full of people, Nikki was glad that she had the support of her husband during this time. “I knew I wasn’t going to be able to absorb much from the consultation with Dr Benn. My husband was there as both a source of moral support and also as an extra pair of ears. If I could go back in time, I would have taken notes during this consultation. But at least I had someone to help me regurgitate the overload of information that was given.”
The first thing that needed to happen following the malignant diagnosis was to remove Nikki’s sentinel lymph node. This was to see if the cancer cells had spread from her breasts yet, or not. “It came back clear,” recalls Nikki. “So the cancer was at least contained to just my breasts. This was great news but still meant I had a tough decision to make: I now faced the prospect of a double mastectomy.”
Together with a multidisciplinary team including Dr Benn, oncologists, radiologists, and a reconstructive surgeon, Nikki opted to go the mastectomy route, and exactly one month after her diagnosis, she went into surgery at Milpark Hospital. At the same time as having the mastectomy, Nikki had reconstructive surgery which resulted in newly shaped breasts with the use of breast implants. “Not needing to go in again at a later stage for the reconstructive surgery was so great. It meant that I could now focus 100% on recovering and moving on with my life.”
“When I tell people that my recovery was one of the best experiences of my life; they look at me strangely. But it’s true. The whole process involved wonderful love from my friends and family. I received such compassion from the medical professionals that helped me, and immense support from Discovery when it came to the financial implications of this journey.”
The future for Nikki
Nikki’s breast cancer was a result of inadequate levels of oestrogen so although she is now cancer-free, she still needs regular check-ups and oestrogen injections every three months. “Exercise has been a saving grace throughout this all – although I no longer teach spinning classes, I still instruct Pilates daily and this has helped prevent weight gain due to the medication I take as well as boost my levels of endorphins.”
“And don’t discount the value of a pet,” Nikki adds with a laugh. “My Jack Russell and cat played a strong therapeutic role in my recovery. I really believe in the mental health benefits of pets!”
A mammogram is recommended for women aged 40 and over. It's an X-ray examination of the breast, which is used to detect and diagnose breast cancer. Discovery Health pays for the mammogram on all Discovery Health Plans from your screening benefit. Contact your healthcare professional to have the test done.