Once a person is diagnosed with breast cancer, there is a 7-11 percent chance they will experience a local recurrence, which means it will reappear in the same area as the original cancer.

However, when the cancer spreads to a distant place in the body, it is called metastatic cancer. This occurs in nearly 30 percent of women diagnosed with early stage breast cancer, according to Breastcancer.org.

Ashley Matern, a 37 year-old woman who lives in Seligman, has been fighting her battle with cancer since November 2021.

Matern works at Freedom Bank in Cassville with her twin sister.

“I had triple negative breast cancer and the genetic and hormone testing came back negative,” she said. “They told me I would never know why I had breast cancer.”

One day in the shower, Matern said she felt something in her left breast.

“I thought, ‘That’s not supposed to be there,’” she said. “I waited two days before I called the doctor, but they were able to schedule me the next day to see Dr. Julie at Access Family Care in Cassville.”

Interestingly, Matern said she felt one lump, but the doctor felt two.

Matern was immediately scheduled for a mammogram at Cassville Mercy Hospital.

“Within the week, I had my mammogram, and they did an ultrasound and all the tests,” she said. “They scheduled me for a biopsy, which was done the week after the mammogram.

“It all went really fast, but they were thorough.”

After just two weeks from her first appointment with Dr. Julie, Matern was diagnosed with breast cancer.

“I started chemo immediately — the port was put in on Dec. 3, then they started chemo.”

Matern had more than six months of chemo treatments.

“I had two sets of 12 weeks of different chemos,” she said. “I finished my chemo the week before the Power of Pink walk in May 2022.”

Matern had a mastectomy in June 2022.

“On Aug. 1, 2022, I started radiation,” she said. “I had 30 rounds, and I would go five times a week. That finished on Sept. 13.

“I drove myself to Springfield to get the radiation, then I would go back to work.”

Matern worked full-time through all her treatments.

“I didn’t have a choice,” she said. “I had bills. But, I had amazing support from my fiancé, son, mom and twin sister. They did everything I asked, or could ask for.”

Matern said she had anti-nausea medication to help her get through the tough parts.

“I haven’t had reconstructive surgery yet,” she said. “The breast cancer metastasized and crossed the blood and brain barrier, which caused tumors in my brain.”

After her mastectomy in June, doctors told her she was cancer free.

“We don’t know at what point the tumors became not dormant,” she said. “I had brain surgery on Oct. 3 where they removed two tumors and left three to do radiation on. I have a consult on Tuesday to start radiation on my brain. I am hoping with radiation it will go away.”

Matern said she isn’t planning to have another brain surgery, but she might have to.

“The advice I would give is to get a mammogram,” she said. “I will forever advocate that you get a mammogram no matter how old you are.

“I am only 37 years old. I’m not even old enough to get a mammogram — that was my first one.”

Matern said people need to understand it can happen to anyone, no matter their age.

“I lost my hair and had nausea, but I handled chemo really well,” she said. “I started to lose my hair after the second chemo treatment, so I cut it short. After two more weeks there was nothing left, so I shaved it.”

Matern said she had long red hair, and people asked her why she didn’t wear a wig.

“They are so uncomfortable,” she said. “I rocked the bald. I accepted my fate and I said I am going to do whatever it takes to fight.”

Matern and her fiancé have been engaged for 4 years, and her son just turned 20.

“My fiancé and I bought my late grandmother’s home last June and we have been remodeling it,” she said.

Matern is currently taking anti-seizure medication because of the tumors, but isn’t on any medication for the cancer.