CANTON, Ohio–It’s been a long journey for Rita Yutzey.
In 1972, her mother, Mary E. Milhoan, was diagnosed with invasive ductile carcinoma–the most common form breast cancer. She was 41 years old.
“She was in a lot of pain, and that’s what made her go seek medical help,” Rita said.
Rita was only 21 years old at the time, but she said the disease made a big impression on her life. At times, her mother’s prognosis looked good. ‘
She even returned to work at one point, but the worst moments are what Yutzey remembers most.
“The tubes hanging out where the breast once was, that was just a horrific site for me. I can never ever forget that,” she said.
However, after two years, Rita’s mother died from breast cancer.
The disease managed to resurface in the family decades later.
In 2006, Rita’s younger sister, Trina Rhine, was diagnosed with the disease. She was 50 years old.
“She was beautiful inside and out,” Rita said. “Trina had a big fear of going through chemo, losing her hair.”
Against family wishes, Trina opted for alternative medicine like supplements, laser and even maggot therapy. Rita said her sister was afraid to relive their mother’s bout with breast cancer.
“What we saw my sister go through was actually worse than what my mother went through,” Rita said.
Within weeks of Trina’s diagnoses, Rita went in for her routine mammogram, only to hear the unthinkable.
“I knew at that point, I felt that I had breast cancer,” she said.
Rita, like her mother and sister, was diagnosed with the same disease. She had Stage 1 breast cancer at 55 years old.
At the same time, during a doctor’s visit, Rita learned another relative was diagnosed too.
“My step-mom rita walked passed, and we both looked at each other, like, ‘what are you doing here.’ said Rita’s step-daughter, Debbie Wessels.
Debbie was diagnosed with Stage 0 breast cancer at 48 years old. She only had to go through radiation treatment.
“She did radiation before I did, and she showed me what my skin would look like, how I would feel,” Rita said.
The disease brought the three women closer together.
Unfortunately, just six weeks after her diagnoses, Trina passed.
Now almost five years later, Rita and Debbie are moving forward, living life to its fullest, in honor of the loved ones they’ve lost along the way.
“It helps to build your faith. It gave me faith in our community,” Rita said. “I found out I was a lot stronger than I ever, ever thought I could be.”