Utah pediatrician urges women not to delay mammograms after cancer diagnosis

MURRAY — As Breast Cancer Awareness Month highlights the importance of early detection, a Utah pediatrician is sharing her story after a delayed screening led to the discovery of an aggressive form of breast cancer.

Dr. Shellie Ring, a busy mother and practicing pediatrician, said scheduling her annual mammogram kept getting pushed aside as she balanced work, family and countless responsibilities at home.

"In all honesty, breast cancer has never really been on my radar," Ring said. "I don't have a family history of breast cancer. I don't have a lot of risk factors for breast cancer."

Like many women, Ring said she assumed there was always time to schedule the appointment later. By the time she finally booked her mammogram, she was seven months overdue.

"I think, like most women, we're not excited to get mammograms," she said. "And so we kind of put it off and we don't worry about it so much, despite the statistic that one in eight women get breast cancer."

That appointment may have saved her life.

After additional testing, doctors discovered a nine-millimeter tumor in Ring's right breast. She was diagnosed with Stage 1 triple-negative breast cancer, an aggressive form of the disease that accounts for about 15% of breast cancer cases.

Triple-negative breast cancer does not respond to hormone therapies commonly used to treat other forms of breast cancer, making early detection especially important.

Physicians said survival rates improve significantly when the cancer is caught before it spreads.

"If we catch these cancers early, it is significant for your survival rate, and that's important for your family," Ring said. "Families are better off with moms in them than without them."

Dr. Ring is now undergoing treatment and has about 12 weeks remaining. Through the challenges of treatment, she has found comfort in the support of her family, including the handmade hats her daughters created after she lost her hair.

"This is my first hat she made me to wear for losing my hair," Ring said. "And I love it. I have many of them. They match outfits. I have my breast cancer pin on them, and it's fabulous."

Now, Ring hopes her experience will encourage other women to make time for routine screenings, even when life gets busy.

Her message is simple: Don't put off your mammogram.

What she believed was a low-risk situation turned into a cancer diagnosis. Because the cancer was found early, Ring and her doctors remain optimistic about her outcome, a reminder that early detection can make all the difference.

You can schedule your mammogram using a new program at Intermountain Health by clicking here.

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