A couple from North Carolina, married for over five decades, have faced six cancer diagnoses between them and have shared the key factor to their survival.
Pat Penny was diagnosed with breast cancer at 56 in 2009, discovered early through a standard mammogram.
This was the fifth cancer diagnosis in their marriage of 51 years. Previously, her husband Dave had been diagnosed twice with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the 1980s and twice with a sarcoma in the 1990s.
“They found my cancer early. It was really deeply embedded. If it had grown to the point where I could’ve found it, it’d have been too late,” Pat told WRAL.
Unexpectedly, Dave also discovered a lump in his breast, located on the same side as Pat’s.
As a man diagnosed with breast cancer, Dave is among less than one percent of those affected by this condition.
Rather than bemoaning their fate, the Pennys have embraced Dave’s rarity, calling the Korean War veteran a ‘rare’ individual.
Following extensive surgery to remove the affected breast and lymph nodes, the retired volunteer firefighter achieved an incredible fifth recovery from cancer in under 40 years.
Despite the challenges, the Pennys persevered with mutual support and Dave’s remarkable resilience.
Pat said: “He was supposed to be dead at 30 so we’re just blessed. He’s the Eveready bunny, he takes a licking and keeps on ticking.”
Having overcome numerous cancer diagnoses, the couple now volunteers for the American Cancer Society. They share their story to motivate others to act on early signs that could lead to necessary medical evaluations. This includes encouraging men like Dave to occasionally check their chest area for lumps.
The American Cancer Society reports that early detection has saved over 4.5 million lives in the past 50 years. They estimate that 80 percent of those diagnosed early have a survival expectancy exceeding 10 years.
Regular medical check-ups and addressing health concerns promptly are what the North Carolina couple credit for their survival journey.
Dave said: “Nobody knows your body but you. If you have anything wrong with you, don’t put it off for a week or two weeks hoping it’ll go away.”
Pat added: “Early detection and early treatment is so important. There’s no age; just because you’re young or old, either way, you can get cancer. So be aware.”