FAMILY: Husband, Tim; children, Alan, 17, and Rebecca, 13

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ZACH BOYDEN-HOLMES/STAFF

Cancer survivor Christina Troutman

OCCUPATION: Special education aide at Jefferson Elementary School

DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT: April 2003; lumpectomy, chemotherapy and radiation

HER STORY: Troutman, 46, knew she had a lump in her breast but the mammography machine was broken on her doctor’s visit. She chose to wait an entire year before her next scheduled mammogram.

The compassion and understanding nature of her doctors helped Troutman as her treatment didn’t seem to go as planned. Infections developed into a staph infection resulting in an additional surgery. She also attributes memory loss to five years of taking tamoxifen.

HER ADVICE: “Take the initiative to go ahead and shave your head when you are ready to do so.”