Powerful in pink Mary Borjas
“Words cannot express how grateful I am for the kindness and compassion at Adventist HealthGlendale.” -Mary Borjas
Mary Borjas is the epitome of beauty and strength, and yet eight months ago when she felt a lump in her breast, fear pierced straight through her. She began an incredibly challenging pursuit to find treatment for what she feared was a bullet trying to steal her life.
After getting a biopsy, Mary sought help only to be faced with rejection and closed doors. “I felt forgotten by the world,” she said, the recollection still making her voice tremble. Finding a physician who would accept her insurance was the first obstacle. Finding friends and family who would support her through her journey was another. In addition to receiving a diagnosis of Stage 1 breast cancer, Mary was tasked with finding a surgeon on her own and was instructed to wait three months before getting a mammogram.
Fortunately, Mary was finally referred to Dr. Dennis Holmes at Adventist Health Glendale. A wave of hope swept over her. “It was a light at the end of the tunnel. From the moment I walked into the Center, I could finally breathe. The whole team were like angels, holding my hand and praying with me. I felt the entire staff was sent from God. A true blessing.”
Dr. Holmes’ surgical plan to remove a small amount of breast tissue was minimally invasive, compared with a more radical approach of another physician. Just one week after her procedure by Dr. Holmes, Mary attended the official ribbon cutting at The Sam and Grace Carvajal Comprehensive Breast Center. Celebrating life with her 21-year-old son, Angel, she feels particularly blessed, empowered and fearless. She will continue oncology treatments for the next five years, but Mary is profoundly relieved that she was treated so quickly. She is eager to share her experience to help other breast cancer patients.