GAZELLE MAGAZINE Vol, 2. Issue 5 | Page 74

WOMEN WHO INSPIRE TAKING CHARGE OF HER HEALTH Cindy Dineen rediscovers exercise after cancer diagnosis By VICKI BENNINGTON There’s nothing like a health worry to jumpstart an exercise routine. Cindy Dineen of South City St. Louis was shocked in 2012 to be told she had breast cancer at the age of 38. Luckily, it was caught very early. After the initial scare, she was diagnosed with Stage 0 – Ductal Carcinoma In Situ. This meant it was contained in the milk ducts and was non-invasive. Her prognosis was good. She had a lumpectomy and radiation treatments and was given basically, a clean bill of health. Cindy started working out at The Heights Community Center in Richmond Heights, Missouri with the Young Women’s Breast Cancer Survivor’s group to stay strong and network with others in her same situation. The survivor’s group at The Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine offers free programming for young adults with cancer. “I hadn’t really worked out for about 15 years,” Cindy said. “The first time I went to the class was after my radiation treatments, and everyone works at their own level. The class really got me back into exercising, and now I love it.” There, she has met many sur vivors who have had similar experiences. “We all talk to each other, and sometimes we work in two-person teams that helps everyone get to know each other – and support each other,” she said. 74 Cindy had previously been diagnosed with atypical ductal hyperplasia, which put her at a higher risk for developing breast cancer. Because of that, she had had one mammogram prior to her diagnosis, even though she was younger than the American Cancer Society’s guidelines to receive a baseline mammogram at age 40. Cindy was also given an ACS questionnaire. She scored a 29 out of 30, which prompted her doctor to order an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), a test that would help Cindy’s physician look more closely at her breast tissue. That’s when the cancer cells were detected. GAZELLE STL Working out at The Heights