Beaufort breast cancer survivor braved her diagnosis with hope and support from family, sorority
By Emma June Grosskopf
Special to The Island News
BEAUFORT
The power of positivity helped Victoria Carter, 50, through her breast cancer treatment journey, along with a rich support system, her care team at Beaufort Memorial and a whole heap of hope.
Victoria was a Beaufort County elementary school teacher until early 2022 when she became a caretaker for her father. During that time, she was diagnosed with stage 2B triple negative invasive ductal carcinoma after feeling a lump in her right breast, near the nipple.
Her daughter, Christian, who was 23 at the time, encouraged her mom to speak with her doctor about the lump. After a conversation with her gynecologist, who then hurried to get her scheduled for a mammogram right away, Victoria was diagnosed with the aggressive form of breast cancer.
The next thing that Victoria had to do – before even telling her loved ones, before beginning treatment – was internalize what that diagnosis meant for her.
“I was in denial,” she said. “I just wasn’t educated about it. People think that when you’re diagnosed, it’s something you should have known about, but it really wasn’t in my circle at the time.”
‘A long and challenging journey’
Things moved fast for Victoria following her April 2022 diagnosis. Her treatment at the Beaufort Memorial Keyserling Cancer Center included immunotherapy, chemotherapy and radiation, and the course of treatment took a huge toll on her physically.
She received care from two Beaufort Memorial oncologists at the Keyserling Cancer Center, as well as had her lumpectomy performed by Dr. Tara Grahovac, a board-certified and fellowship trained breast oncology surgeon who sees patients as a part of the Beaufort Memorial Breast Care & Surgery Program. She received radiation treatment under the care of Dr. Jonathan Briggs with Beaufort Memorial Radiation Oncology.
Another critical part of Victoria’s treatment journey was Kianna Brown, LMSW, an oncology social worker at Beaufort Memorial. Brown brought her bubbly personality to Victoria’s journey, and her sparkle was much appreciated.
“I really appreciate Kianna being there; her personality kept me going during treatment,” Victoria said.
Pairing both family support and care, Victoria’s niece Alayshia used her passion for beauty to craft her aunt’s wigs throughout her treatment. These wigs made her feel more like herself and were a crucial form of self-care.
Treatment had some strong physical side effects for the former teacher, but because of the support from her Beaufort Memorial care team, her family and her sorority, Beaufort Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, she persevered through illness and completed treatment in August 2023.
Despite Victoria’s “long and challenging journey,” Brown said, her huge heart shone through.
“She and her sorority sisters would still put together care packages for the infusion center to hand out to other patients to let them know that others were rooting for them,” Brown recalled. “I was more than happy to be present with her in her moments of fear because being alone can be so incredibly scary and vulnerable.”
Continuing support beyond treatment
Victoria’s own diagnosis and treatment journey was an educational one for her, and she dedicated herself to researching triple-negative invasive ductal carcinoma, an aggressive form of cancer that, according to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, disproportionately affects Black and Hispanic women.
Victoria, throughout her treatment, sought help for her mental health to help her through the ups and the downs of chemo, immunotherapy and radiation, but there’s a family component that should be prioritized, too, she said.
“After my treatment was over, I took it upon myself to see a psychologist at Beaufort Memorial to start talking about my feelings. No one at home understands; they haven’t been through it,” she explained. “And family counseling is important, too. … We don’t think about the kids and what they’re going through.”
Victoria’s resilience, and the resilience of her family as she underwent treatment, was bolstered by the love and support from her network.
The power of positivity
Victoria’s strong support system comprised of family, friends and her sorority sisters was what kept her going and got her through her treatment, through the side effects, the fatigue, the anxiety and the stress.
The power of their positivity was stronger than all of it.
“During my treatment, I had friends that would call me every day,” Victoria said. “They’d send me a message every day to keep my mental health and my mindset above water.”
Her twofold message to anyone experiencing a cancer diagnosis is a simple yet powerful one: surround yourself with positivity and listen to your body.
“Each journey is so different. I believe in the power of positivity,” she said. “Having a positive mind gives me the hope of a positive outcome. When you’re going through it, you experience all the negative parts of it. You need positivity around you. My friends calling me, my sorority, they poured that hope into me.”
