South Side Breast Cancer Survivor Honored at Chicago Bears Game

In a heartwarming recent event at Soldier Field, Advocate Health Care honored ten of their breast cancer patients during the Chicago Bears Crucial Catch game. Among these courageous individuals was Laverne Terry, a 63-year-old resident of Chicago.

The game held earlier this month, not only celebrated survivors like Terry but also served as a moving reminder of the critical importance of breast cancer awareness. Prior to the game, patients, alongside their family members and care teams from across Illinois, took to the field to witness the coin toss, presented by Dr. Neil Dalal, a hematologist oncologist at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital. A special bell-ringing ceremony during halftime honored two survivors who had recently completed their treatments, further underscoring the resilience and courage of those battling the disease.

“It was phenomenal. It was a once in a lifetime experience,” Terry said.

Terry's battle with breast cancer began in 2003, after a friend's diagnosis prompted her to get screened. To her surprise, the exam revealed that she too had breast cancer. “If my friend hadn’t shared her story with me, I don’t know when I might have gone to get screened,” she said.

As a single mother of two sons, Terry was determined not to let her diagnosis slow her down. She underwent eight weeks of radiation treatments and a five-year course of cancer-fighting drugs. Through sheer determination and resilience, Terry continued working a full-time job, often sleeping in the back seat of her mother's car on the ride home after work. Upon arriving home, she prepared dinner and focused on maintaining a sense of normalcy for her youngest son.

“Sometimes I felt like I can’t do this. It’s going to wipe me out. And then I’d think, ‘I have to get my son to baseball practice,’” Terry recalls. “I was raised to be self-sufficient. There was no time to feel depressed. I had to keep moving,” Terry recalls.

Now, twenty-one years later, Terry is cancer-free and remains an embodiment of strength and independence. She understands the hesitations some women might have towards mammography but urges them to get tested, emphasizing that women can face any challenge, including a breast cancer diagnosis. “You can do anything. Keep putting one foot in front of the other. Stay prayerful and keep moving,” she advises.

Breast cancer affects one in eight women during their lifetime. Laverne Terry's story is a powerful testament to the critical importance of breast cancer screening, early detection, and the resilient spirit of those facing breast cancer.