Breast cancer survivor with lymphedema helps others cope

COLUMBIA — In January 1999, Kathy Windmoeller, pathology lab supervisor for MU Health Care, was diagnosed with breast cancer following a routine mammogram. Diagnosed on a Friday, Windmoeller underwent the first of two surgeries just four days later at Ellis Fischel Cancer Center.

“When you have a cancer diagnosis, you get involved with a lot of different areas, not just the doctors and nurses, but also the people who check you in at the clinic, the nurses who give you the chemotherapy, social workers, phlebotomists, people who work in radiology, and even the volunteers. Everyone is so nice, and they make you feel so cared about,” Windmoeller said.

About 200,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year, according to the American Cancer Society. In 2007, about 3,730 people were diagnosed in Missouri.

Ellis Fischel Cancer Center treated 174 new breast cancer cases in 2006, more than any other type of cancer treated there that year. In addition to excelling in breast cancer treatment, Ellis Fischel is also the home of Mid-Missouri’s only lymphedema therapy program.

After her surgery, Windmoeller received six weeks of radiation treatments and six months of chemotherapy. Soon after these breast cancer treatments, Windmoeller began experiencing swelling in her right hand and arm. Like many who have received surgery and radiation therapy to a lymph node area for management of cancer, Windmoeller discovered she had secondary lymphedema.

Secondary lymphedema is a condition associated with a swollen limb or other body part as a result of an impairment in the lymphatic system. Lymphedema is often treated with the application of a bandage or compression garment in the affected area. Once the limb size decreases, compression garments are used to maintain the smaller size of the limb. Other treatments might include massages or manual lymphatic drainage, antibiotics for infections, proper diet, skin care and individualized exercise.

Jane Armer also lives with lymphedema. She is a professor at the Sinclair School of Nursing and director of nursing research at Ellis Fischel, and she has pioneered considerable research on the condition in the past decade.

Armer and her research team have the only prospective longitudinal study following breast cancer survivors from pre-operation to seven years after diagnosis. More than 350 women and men diagnosed with breast cancer have enrolled and been followed in the lymphedema research study in order to help the team understand more about lymphedema and other post-treatment outcomes.

With five-year breast cancer survivorship rates increased to up to 95 percent upon early detection, there are more than 2.4 million survivors living in the United States in 2007, according to the American Cancer Society.

“These women may be living with lymphedema or other treatment effects,” Armer said. “It is really important that we look at what risk factors cause one person to be at higher risk than another person. It is also important that we teach people to do self care that protects them from development of lymphedema and that we teach them the ways to manage lymphedema, so it doesn’t become the overriding thing in their lives.”

To manage her lymphedema, Windmoeller wears a compression sleeve and glove during the day and a compression garment at night, which she will do for rest of her life.

She reached out to others undergoing treatment as a result of a conversation with a women who had just been diagnosed with breast cancer and wanted to talk.

Windmoeller discovered that the woman lived alone and had no close relatives to confide in. Windmoeller began going to chemotherapy treatments with her.

Recalling what a source of support her family was for her, Windmoeller said, “No one should have to go through this alone.”

The vision for the Mid-Missouri Breast Cancer Awareness support group was created as a result of Windmoeller’s friendship with the woman.

Meetings range from educational lectures by physicians, dieticians and other health professionals to programs on massages, exercise and mindfulness. The group meets on the second Wednesday of the month at 6 p.m. at the Central Missouri Food Bank, 2101 Vandiver Drive.

“Especially when you get through it all, and you feel like you’re getting back to normal, you really want to help others who are going through a similar journey,” Windmoeller said.