Veteran Evon “Patti” Duhon says she was seeking adventure when she joined the Air Force in 1985 after graduating high school.
Originally from Opelousas, LA, Duhon recalls her time as a young recruit with immense pride. “I was just a kid. I was 18 years old and didn’t think much about it then. There wasn’t a fair amount of women in the Air Force during the eighties and we were still a minority. But now that I’m in my fifties, I look back with fond memories and I’m extremely proud of myself.
“Had I not been in the military, I wouldn’t have the health care I have now,” she said.
Receiving a life-changing diagnosis
In 2016, Duhon noticed a small rash on her breast that resembled a mosquito bite. Within three months, she felt a lump and promptly saw a doctor. The doctor conducted a biopsy the following week. She discovered she had triple-negative breast cancer.
“I discovered I had cancer in July or August, and then had surgery and a month off in September before starting aggressive chemotherapy in October. It was a whirlwind,” she recalled.
After medical treatment in 2018, Duhon lost her job and home, and relocated to Durham, NC. She needed health care and joined VA’s system, and began receiving care at Durham VA. She underwent various tests due to irregular mammograms.
“My treatment plan here has been just phenomenal. I’ve been extremely happy here. I’ve had the same primary care physician since 2018, Dr. Howard, and I love her. I have an oncologist that I work with. I feel like the service here, the knowledge here, the help that I receive is above and beyond. Without VA, my life would be full of fear and ignorance with no awareness of my health or ability to seek care,” she said.
Duhon discusses her care here.
Referral to Clinical Cancer Genetics Service
Duhon’s doctors recommended VA’s Clinical Cancer Genetics Service (CCGS). One of the many innovative programs within VA’s National Oncology Program, CCGS offers accessible, world-class cancer genetic counseling to Veterans regardless of where they reside. CCGS provides personalized cancer risk assessment and interpretation of test results, and it informs patients about cancer treatment options and assists them in navigating genetic information implications.
Duhon’s cancer genetic testing results showed she carried a mutation in a BARD1 gene. Patients with a BARD1 gene mutation have an increased risk of developing breast or ovarian cancers, raising the risk and recurrence of cancer significantly.
Her close relatives, including her two children, have a 50% chance of sharing the genetic change. It was recommended that they (and other close relatives) have genetic counseling and testing, too.
“Anyone found to carry the same change in the BARD1 gene will be counseled about their risks, screening recommendations and risk reduction options,” said Dr. Carolyn Menendez, MD, surgical oncologist and CCGS’ clinical director. “We refer to this as ‘cascade testing,’ and results in exponential benefits to the health of family members who may be found to have risks that they were not aware of but now can proactively manage.”
“VA has the ability, infrastructure and dedicated team to leverage technology to help Veterans and their families understand their risk of cancer,” added Luke McCorkel, health systems specialist for CCGS. “As the largest health care system in the country, VA has the opportunity to do this at a scale beyond any other organization.”
Each year, VA cares for nearly 500,000 Veterans with cancer across more than 1,300 health care facilities while making an additional 56,000 cancer diagnoses. VA places Veterans at the center, striving to meet them where they are while fighting to ensure the best possible outcomes for those like Duhon.
“If I hadn’t had this health care, I probably would not have been proactive in seeking and getting tests or having the mammograms,” Duhon said. “I would just be living in ignorance because I wouldn’t have been able to afford it. I’m tremendously grateful for the ability to use VA and to have medical care here.”
For more information on how VA’s National Oncology Program works shoulder to shoulder with Veterans to provide best-in-class cancer care, please visit VA | National Oncology Program.
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I HAVE LIVER CANCER AND THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT TYPE OR NAME
I am so pleased to see this My wife who was also a veteran was diagnosed with triple negative in September and she had chemo and radiation and she had her breast removed and a little radiation and the cancer was in remission 6 months later she developed a cough and she went in and had it checked and it was back and now it was everywhere More chemo and then she had 3 Gamma Knife treatments and one brain surgery and more chemo and she died in July of 2018 the doctor said I will tell you this “You will be cancer free when you leave here” So when she was dying I asked about the cancer free thing and he said something about I told you about the triple negative and I went to every chemo and I had never heard of triple negative before I still don’t know what it is I was going to ask but I was to upset I would have lost control if I said anything I pray to God that this young lady has a much better outcome than that of my wife I would say to all women that they need to check yourself out when you are standing laying and sitting If you feel the smallest thing go and make an appointment to see a doctor asap It could save your life I hate cancer because once you open the body up that cancer is like jet engine sucking up all of the oxygen it can and then it spreads like wild fire I don’t know if I ever got cancer that I would do chemo I watched it destroy my wife and my brother and they both had the same outcome God bless all of you that are making these break throughs to kill cancer
Or..You can get the Genetic Testing (because you’ve survived Cancer twice) and be diagnosed with an uncommon cancer genetic mutation. The VA will ignore the Genetic Testing, fight you every step of the way to get the cancer screening recommended by the American Cancer Assoc, fight you for over a year over being in the Oncology Clinic, VA Staff will refuse to educate themselves about a patient’s cancer risk/needs, and treat you like you are being unreasonable when you ask for the recommended screenings they are supposed to be following per the guidelines.
What a shame she lost her job and her home, but at least she was fortunate to have the VA.
VA and your information is excellent !! I thank you for all the personal contact or information given me by the VA .