Patient Story: MaryLou Eyester Gonzalez

“I have more support than anybody I know,” said MaryLou Eyester Gonzalez, an RN Care Manager for a home care company and a New York Cancer & Blood Specialists (NYCBS) patient. MaryLou has always had a tight-knit relationship with her husband of 33 years, family, and friends. But she never expected a breast cancer diagnosis would be the reason that brought them even closer.

After discovering a benign papilloma in 2015, MaryLou was vigilant about her breast health. However, she was late for her annual mammogram screening. So when she felt a lump in her breast in December 2019, she immediately contacted the breast surgeon following her for a mammogram and ultrasound. Much to her shock and dismay, the tests detected breast cancer and that the breast cancer had spread to one lymph node. Ironically, she recalled, it was her son’s birthday.

MaryLou headed straight to NYCBS—where many of her loved ones went previously—for an appointment. “Everyone is so friendly, kind, and caring,” she said. “Having a place where you feel safe and cared for can make a huge difference when going through something as difficult as cancer.”

Within 24 hours, MaryLou received an appointment with oncologist Dr. Noshir DaCosta and Nurse Practitioner Janet Badalamenti. That same week, MaryLou had a port-a-cath implanted and began chemotherapy treatment. Because MaryLou had triple-positive breast cancer (cancer cells grow in response to estrogen, progesterone, and a growth-promoting protein outside of all breast cells known as HER2), her treatment required a little trial and error. The cancer was not responding to the first two rounds of treatment, so Dr. DaCosta switched her chemotherapy to a four-drug neoadjuvant cancer therapy designed to treat early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer. After that, the tumor began to shrink, and MaryLou received treatment once every three weeks for six months.

The next six months of treatment were crucial for MaryLou. “My daughter was getting married in July,” she said. “I was panicked. I told myself I have to finish chemo before.” The hair loss was devastating. “My hair came out in clumps. It was very upsetting,” she said. “But once I shaved my head, I got used to it. I went without a wig more often than not.”

A month before the wedding, MaryLou accomplished her goal of finishing treatment. “You create little goals to help get through it. But, the main goal was just to get back to myself,” she said. The morning after the wedding, MaryLou underwent a bilateral mastectomy with tissue expanders. After surgery, she saw Dr. Cirrone for radiation treatment, which caused capsular contracture, a common adverse outcome following breast reconstruction. She eventually removed the implants and later opted for a flap reconstruction. 

It wasn’t long after the world was impacted by COVID-19. “NYCBS was amazing,” MaryLou said. “They had a drive-up testing station, which made it safe and convenient.” Unfortunately, MaryLou and her husband had gotten sick with pneumonia. But her care team had arranged for her to get COVID-19 antibodies. “They saved me with that antibody,” she said. “I was never admitted to the hospital for anything except for my surgeries. NYCBS kept me home.”

MaryLou believes the people and treatment set NYCBS apart from anywhere else. “NYCBS is open seven days a week and offers hydration,” she said. “No matter where anyone lives, NYCBS is nearby. It makes a huge difference when you don’t need to travel far.” 

In addition to the wonderful care she received from Dr. DaCosta and Janet, MaryLou appreciates having access to other services such as palliative care, nutrition, psychology, and physical therapy. It has been a rough three years for MaryLou, but she is now cancer-free and beginning to return to normalcy. On top of her daughter getting married, her husband retired from the police department, her son-in-law became a police officer, her son entered the police academy, and her daughter gave birth to her first granddaughter.

“You appreciate your time with family and the memories you create, ”MaryLou said. “You go through these milestones together because that’s what life’s about.” 

Now MaryLou is a proud member of the NYCBS Patient Family Advisory Council. “I saw a post on Facebook and asked how I could get involved,” she said. “I want to give back.”