Annual testing caught cancer early for grateful survivor
Joplin, MO – Life is busy but short. Which is why women should never take breast cancer for granted.
Annual mammograms are vital because they catch breast cancer early, making the disease easier to treat. But positive outcomes only work for those who are diligent about their check-ups.
Carthage resident Michelle (Chelle) Eby is one of the diligent ones.
Watching her mother suffer through but survive metastasizing breast cancer, Eby understood the potentially life-saving value of a scheduled breast exam.
During her March 2025 yearly mammogram at Freeman Women’s Center, a “little dark spot” was discovered in one of Eby’s x-rays. Successive visits followed, including an ultrasound and biopsy.
“No pain. No symptoms leading up to this. It was just my normal yearly mammogram,” Eby said. “This was my first cancer.” Thankfully, her Freeman team, which included Freeman Surgeon Dr. Cory Emmert and Freeman Plastic Surgeon Dr. Steven Hughes, hammered out a detailed, two-month plan.
The confidence shown by her team, Eby said, promptly boosted her own.
“I was like, ‘OK, let’s do this. Let’s take care of it,’” Eby said. “I had no reason to doubt what they were telling me. They were clear about what was going to happen. They called me, I answered the phone, I showed up to the appointment they made for me, I jumped through all the hoops, I did all the things I was supposed to do and they did all the things they were supposed to do, and so it was easy. My care was a no-brainer for me. I felt confident in what they were doing and I felt like they had everything covered and were able to explain things to me on my level.”
During her cancer journey, Eby can recount tiny moments of kindness from her Freeman team. For example, on the day of Eby’s biopsy, April 22, 2025, a Freeman nurse gently took her hand and warned her not to think about the procedure as it was happening. At first Eby balked.
“I wanted to watch. But [the nurse] wanted me to hold her hand, so we held hands. She was prepared to console me to get through this one little piece of this journey.” Here, Eby teared up: “I’m grateful for those little moments. They do matter.”
Later, when she questioned the price of her co-pay for an additional breast image, which was more than she could afford at that time, she told the Freeman imaging staff she would have to reschedule the appointment. Knowing the dangers of playing a waiting game with breast cancer, Eby was urged by the Freeman imaging receptionist to proceed with the image.
“She wasn’t having it,” Eby said with a chuckle about the receptionist’s insistence. “She told me to come back [after imaging], and we found a way to pay for it [through financial assistance]. I’m grateful. That made me feel a little bit more at ease, because I didn’t have that hanging over my head.”
Her double mastectomy took place on July 2, 2025, followed immediately by plastic surgery. Both surgeries were completed that day.
“I just showed up and everybody else did all the work,” Eby said. “That’s what it felt like. I just lay on the table, and they cut things off and put things back on. It didn’t feel like I did any work. They [Drs. Emmert and Hughes] handled everything. I mean, Dr. Hughes gave us his cell phone number.”
Eby also speaks very highly of the Imagery team, each of whom kept the mood light and easy, making her laugh during her journey.
“I really felt comfortable inside the facility and with the women working there,” Eby said. “They were efficient, compassionate and helpful—all the things you would want from someone taking care of you.”
According to the American Cancer Society, women 45 to 54 of average risk should schedule an annual mammogram. For women with higher risks, annual mammograms are recommended for women starting at age 30. As a breast cancer survivor, Eby reiterated the importance for women to maintain their mammography schedules.
“Have your dad-gum mammograms,” Eby said, showcasing her unique sense of humor. “I would encourage everyone to do it. It’s so vital. [Without them], it could have been a lot worse for me.”