CLEVELAND — A Cleveland woman's life was saved because of knowing her family's previous health history.
Over 30 years ago, Geri Blair felt a lump in her breast.
The discovery found her in a doctor's office, where she says the doctor told her it was too soon to determine if she had breast cancer.
“The doctors told me to wait," said Blair. "He said to go home and wait six months, and I insisted on going to a surgeon to take the lump out."
At the time, Blair was a 40-year-old wife and mother to three.
And not to her surprise, Blair said, “It turned out to be cancer."
Blair has always paid very close attention to the history of her family's health, as she is well aware she comes from a long line of women who have battled breast cancer.
“My mom died at the age of 54," said Blair. "My sister also had been diagnosed with breast cancer. I had two first cousins that had been diagnosed, so I knew I was at risk.”
Though her doctor told her not to worry about the lump she initially found, she is grateful that she did. “If I waited six months, I’d probably be dead today," Blair said.
Now, Blair continues using her cancer journey to help others across the community. She stresses the importance of connecting the dots with what runs in the family and early detection.
Blair said, “Only because of my family history did I know to say no, I wanted a mammogram, and it didn’t show up."
Like Blair, being more aware could mean the difference between saving your breast and saving your life.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The video above previously aired on 3News on May 6, 2022, when 3News' Danielle Wiggins returned to 3News after having breast cancer surgery.
More information connected to Blair's story:
Minority Women with Breast Cancer Uniting, Inc.
Geri Blair, Executive Director
(MWBCU)
1361 Vandemar Road
Cleveland, OH 44121
(216) 375-2417
(216) 291-0962