Coweta County woman marks 5 years breast cancer-free after positive BRCA gene test

NEWNAN, Ga. - October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and a former cancer patient from Coweta County has shared her story about the importance that cancer wellness programs played in her own journey.

April Carroll was first a patient, and then a volunteer instructor, at The Thomas F. Chapman Family Cancer Wellness Center at Piedmont Newnan Hospital. She is celebrating her five-year anniversary of being cancer-free.

"So, I do self-exams and found a lump during one of those self-exams that was kind of painful," April said.

She said both her mother and grandmother died from ovarian cancer, and with a positive BRCA test, she knew she was at a high risk herself.

"The diagnosis after the biopsy was Stage I triple negative breast cancer."

During chemotherapy and after surgery, April said she leaned heavily on the cancer wellness programs offered by Piedmont.

"It gave me a sense of community. I was able to find a group of women who had kind of been through what I had been through that could help me. So, I was able to find a really good community of cancer survivors."

April found comfort in art, yoga and essential oils classes. After experiencing the value that the wellness programs brought to her own healing, she decided to help others as an art instructor.

"I think part of helping others is what helps you kind of get out of your own head as well," she explained. "Because then, I could support and help other people, and it wasn’t them always helping me."

Piedmont offers wellness programs at several of its hospitals across metro Atlanta and in Newnan.

They specialize in cancer education, as well as nutrition, meditation and other relaxation techniques, expressive art and other classes and counseling services.

It’s free and open to patients of any type of cancer, even if you're undergoing treatment elsewhere.

You can learn more about the programs here.