As a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army National Guard, Kelly Ambrose has the opportunity to receive health care anywhere in the country. So when she was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in West Virginia in 2010, she called a colleague to ask his opinion on the best place in the country to be treated.
He recommended the breast care center at Wake Forest Baptist. During her first visit Kelly met with a surgical oncologist, medical oncologist, radiation oncologist, plastic surgeon and genetic counselor and left with a treatment plan in place. She was impressed that she was able to see so many physicians during a single visit and that everyone was focused on her and her care.
She underwent a lumpectomy and lymph node mapping. When four lymph nodes were found to contain cancer, she had 34 axillary nodes removed.
She returned to West Virginia for chemotherapy and radiation so she could be near her daughter and continue her work in the military. She was interested in participating in clinical studies and enrolled in five studies conducted at Wake Forest Baptist.
Kelly comes back for regular check-ups and is enjoying her life. She does a lot of public speaking about breast cancer and has even satisfied her lifelong love of horses by buying one and riding it as often as she can.
Patient Story - Breast Cancer Survivor Kelly Ambrose
As a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army National Guard, Kelly Ambrose has the opportunity to receive health care anywhere in the country. So when she was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in West Virginia in 2010, she called a colleague to ask his opinion on the best place in the country to be treated.