The day Airdrie resident Jennifer Herbert McCreary heard the word "cancer" from her physician, her world turned upside down.
"All of a sudden, everything I built up as important for me, in terms of a foundation, was breaking apart in front of my eyes. I didn't want to be a patient. I didn't want to end up with a diagnosis that was going to end poorly," she recalled.
At 42, McCreary was diagnosed with stage 1-B breast cancer, a diagnosis that led to multiple rounds of chemotherapy and, ultimately, a mastectomy.
Today, almost two years after completing her last round of chemotherapy, McCreary is preparing to participate again in the Canadian Cancer Society CIBC Run for the Cure.
"It's empowering. Our team name is Operation Butterfly," she said. The team name symbolizes her journey through diagnosis and chemotherapy, as well as a tribute to her grandparents.
"When I walked into the chemo unit for my very first session, I had a panic attack; they put the I.V. in, and you're there for five hours," McCreary shared. "My husband, Dustin, was with me, and I looked up at the ceiling. There were these beautifully painted butterflies on the ceiling, and I wore a t-shirt with butterflies on it."
Her connection to butterflies also reflects her bond with her late grandparents. McCreary lost both grandparents four years ago, and she recalls her grandmother, a stoic nurse, as a symbol of strength and resilience.
"[A butterfly] there's something so beautiful and delicate about it—it goes through this amazing transformation to get from what it is initially, and that's what it felt like; this is a transformation. My mind, my body, everything, my perspective has shifted tremendously," she explained. "[This run], I am craving that sense of community, to see these women all in different stages of their journey."
MCcreary acknowledges her journey has been long and difficult, but she shares her story to offer both hope and honesty to others who may find themselves in a similar situation.
'I went through all the stages of grief'
Before her diagnosis, McCreary lived a typical life, checking off the milestones as anyone her age would.
"Not that I thought I was invincible, not even in the slightest... [But] when I got diagnosed, I went through the full stages of grief. I was angry; I was in denial. I cried it out, too. It's not supposed to happen, especially at this age."
When she found a lump in her breast in May of 2022, she initially downplayed its significance, prioritizing family plans and camping trips.
"I found it in May of 2022, and we had plans. We were going camping, and there was just some family stuff going on, and I thought I'd get it when I got to it."
A month later, her doctor expressed concern but wasn't overly alarmed, though she recommended screening was next.
"The next day, I went for a mammogram and an ultrasound... When they came in, it was just such a sinking feeling. When they say, the doctor will share the results with you..."
Despite the diagnosis, McCreary was determined to return to her everyday life quickly but soon realized that cancer recovery doesn't follow a set timeline.
"I realized it's like I have no control at all," she said. "I was blessed with a very wonderful medical team. I finished the chemo, I went back for my assessment with the surgeon, and he said it was tricky."
Faced with two choices—a lumpectomy or mastectomy—McCreary chose the latter, knowing it offered better odds of preventing a recurrence. Still, the decision was deeply emotional.
"At the same time, it's a part of my body... It's what women identify with as part of their femininity."
She later underwent reconstructive surgery, which brought her own set of emotional challenges.
"You're flooded with it on social media and everything about cancer and breast cancer; your mastectomy scar is almost like it's your battle scar. To have the scar is one thing, but then to try to recreate a part of your body, your breast—it almost felt like there was a bit of shame in doing that."
Ultimately, she decided that reconstruction was the right choice for her as part of her healing journey.
"It's everyone's journey, and your choices are your own, so I chose to go through the reconstruction."
The worst days and 'staying true'
During her cancer treatment, McCreary found a strong support system, but she took issue with the common refrain to "stay strong."
"There were plenty of days where I felt [like] I have nothing left. I'm in pain; I'm nauseated; I have no energy. I want to throw up. Your hair is falling out; you feel like everything about your body, internally and externally, is changing, and you feel disgusting," she said. "But they're telling me that this chemo is going to help. I had to trust the process."
Her husband, Dustin, gave her advice that resonated deeply with her: not to "stay strong" but to "stay true."
"He said, you don't have to stay strong, just stay true to yourself. If today is a day where you need to do nothing and feel the feelings, be in it. Identify that: if you're angry or devastated and sad by it, feel it."
Following this advice, McCreary allowed herself to experience each emotion fully, living moment to moment. During one of those moments, she met a woman named Wendy during her ninth round of chemotherapy, which helped strengthen her resolve.
'She just looked at me, gave me this little smile'
While waiting for her chemotherapy session, McCreary spoke with Wendy, who was about to begin her first round.
"It was actually one of the ladies here in Airdrie that I reached out to, and she made me a dozen of them anyway, and this lady looks over at me and tells me she loves my scarf," McCreary said.
Wendy's bravery moved her.
"Immediately, I saw the fear in her eyes. I reached out to her, took her hand, and said, you're going to get through this. The nurses come out, calling her name to go back in for your treatment," McCreary recalled. "And she was with her daughter, and she just looked at me and gave me this little smile; she was so brave, she just looked up and picked up her purse and walked in there."
Reflecting on that moment, McCreary realized that they all shared courage.
"There she is. Look at her. She's just got so much courage. And you do; you have to walk in there with courage."
'Know that there is support around you, and you will be taken care of'
McCreary emphasized the importance of turning fear into motivation when asked what advice she would give others facing health challenges.
"It has to be something that motivates you instead of making you withdraw," she said. "When I caught it, and I went and had that biopsy done, and then I had several tests after that—my first appointment with my oncologist was about five weeks after that..."
She is grateful she acted early enough that her cancer had not spread.
"And granted, I even started going through my head too, thinking if I had gone to the doctor in May and we started this whole process even a month early, would things be different? Maybe I would have only needed a lumpectomy instead of having a mastectomy. I know it's difficult to realize, and then the fear sets in, but know that there is support around you, and you will be taken care of."
Although she won't be officially considered cancer-free until November 2027, McCreary’s participation in this year’s Run for the Cure marks another significant milestone in her journey—one she hopes to share with others just beginning theirs.
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