Nationwide — Shewanna Strickland, an African American woman from Killeen, Texas, was diagnosed with stage 4 triple negative breast cancer in 2024. After months of chemotherapy, surgery, and immunotherapy, she is now cancer-free and determined to spread hope and awareness.
According to 11Alive, Strickland first discovered something was wrong after a routine mammogram shortly after her 50th birthday. What began as a small concern quickly turned into a fight for her life. By June, doctors confirmed she had triple negative breast cancer, the same aggressive form her mother once battled.
Unlike other breast cancers, triple negative cases lack certain receptors that make targeted treatments possible. Dr. Mohit Bansal of Baylor Scott & White, who treated both Strickland and her mother, explained that this type is more difficult to treat and has a higher recurrence rate, especially among younger and African American women.
For Strickland, who works in healthcare, the diagnosis was shocking. “It just does something different to you because I’m used to taking care of people, and then I knew that eventually I would be in a position where I was gonna have to be taken care of,” she said.
At first, Strickland’s scans showed stage 2 cancer. But when her PET scan revealed activity in her liver, her diagnosis advanced to stage 4. She recalled the fear of hearing those words. “I just prayed that I would get through it because I know a lot of people at stage 4 and triple negative don’t. I wanted to be here for my kids and I wanted to be here with my parents,” she said.
Dr. Bansal and Strickland decided to take an aggressive approach instead of just managing her symptoms. Her treatment plan included 34 rounds of chemotherapy, a mastectomy, 25 radiation sessions, and immunotherapy every six weeks. Together, they focused on a curative goal.
On August 20, 2024, Strickland rang the bell marking the end of her treatment. Her post-treatment scans confirmed what she had prayed for — she was cancer-free. “I’m still standing. I’m still here, and I’m surviving and I’m thriving,” she said proudly.
Strickland’s journey has brought her closer to her mother, who also survived the same cancer. Now, she uses her story to encourage others to get regular screenings. “Mammograms save lives,” Dr. Bansal said, stressing the importance of early detection.