After a double mastectomy, cancer survivor is determined to ‘LIVESTRONG’

Darrolyn Sharp, 70, faced two of the most stressful events anyone can endure. She moved to a new city and was, shortly after, diagnosed with cancer.

Her positive outlook on life – and a support network she didn’t know she had – helped her deal with both. Her story is just one example of a partnership between Novant Health and the YMCA of Northwest North Carolina to help integrate health care across the region.

She and her husband, Leon, were empty nesters in Merrillville, Indiana – a suburb of Gary, which is the birthplace of Michael Jackson and his eight siblings. (Sharp was in school with the third-eldest Jackson, Tito.)

The Sharps were ready to downsize and had been searching online for homes in northwest Indiana. Sharp, an experienced real estate agent, mortgage banker and licensed real estate instructor, is not your typical house hunter. She has years of experience in every aspect of homebuying.

When their dream home appeared in the search results, she was surprised to realize it was in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. But they made an offer – no in-person visit! – and moved in 2021.

It may have seemed like too big a leap to some, but Sharp was completely at peace with their decision. “We knew that this was a God move,” Sharp said.

During their first year in the Triad, Sharp was still seeing her doctor in Indiana. But a head-on collision in 2022 prompted her to establish a relationship with a local primary care physician. Living in limbo the year before had caused her to miss her mammogram, so Dr. Victor Korang of Novant Health Pfafftown Family Medicine sent her for one in December 2022. There was something suspicious; it turned out to be cancer.

A cancer diagnosis is always scary, but it was especially so for Sharp. Her daughter-in-law died from breast cancer at just 28, leaving behind a 2-year-old son. He’s now 12 and lives with Sharp and her husband.

From diagnosis to surgery to the aftermath, Sharp felt Novant Health was where she was supposed to be. And everyone on her Novant Health care team talks about how joyful she is.

Every patient needs a guide

Sharp met one of her nurse navigators right away.

Betsy Johnson, senior director of oncology services at Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center, aims to ensure each newly diagnosed patient gets paired with a navigator as quickly as possible.

“We want patients to leave their first appointment with a basic understanding of what’s going to happen next,” Johnson said. “That includes getting them in with a breast surgeon within 3 business days.”

The navigation team works quickly, but they’re careful not to overwhelm patients. “We typically wait to schedule the medical oncologist appointment until we have the tumor markers and a better idea of how to treat their cancer,” she said.

“Navigators are links to resources,” continued Johnson. “They make connections. They introduce, early on, all the support services we offer – integrative medicine and complimentary therapies such as massage and acupuncture. Patients often have questions about vitamins and supplements – what’s safe to take. And our certified pharmacist is on hand to help. We also have psychosocial counselors and dietitians – all of whom specialize in oncology care.”

Sharp is proud to share that she “did all of it.” She took advantage of every class, every workshop, every chance she got to lift weights or go on a walk.

She appreciated the care she got from her breast surgeon, Dr. Lori Kellam of Novant Health Breast Surgery - Ardmore; Dr. George Lawson of Forsyth Plastic Surgical Associates, who did her reconstruction; Dr. Jennifer Crook of Novant Health Cancer Institute – Forsyth, who managed her adjuvant therapy (cancer treatment given after primary treatment to reduce the chance of recurrence) and Kathy Bowman, Christy Wicker and Jamie Calcutt-Flaherty, who served as her navigators.

Back to life

When cancer treatment is over, many patients find it hard to rejoice. Treatment takes a physical and emotional toll, and it can take a long time to move forward.

Fortunately, a Novant Health partnership with the YMCA of Northwest North Carolina responsible for a lot of innovative programming includes the LIVESTRONG program for cancer survivors.

Sharp took part in this, too. She did the program after her double mastectomy but before reconstruction surgery.

“LIVESTRONG made me feel less alone,” she said. “The others in my group – we still check on each other. That support network is critical. Even your family, no matter how supportive they are, can’t know what you're going through. It really helps to be with others traveling your same path.”

The 12-week, small-group program is designed for adult cancer survivors who are up to five years past treatment. “It supports those cancer survivors who find themselves in that transitional period between treatments and moving on with their post-cancer life,” said Darryl Head, president and CEO of YMCA of Northwest North Carolina. “In addition to the physical benefits, there’s an emotional well-being component for cancer survivors and their families.”

“The whole program is free to participants,” he continued. “And it includes a membership for the survivor and their family. We want cancer survivors to know an entire community surrounds and supports them on this journey.”

Since the program’s 2012 inception, LIVESTRONG has served about 1,000 survivors at the YMCA of Northwest North Carolina. Nationally, more than 77,000 people have benefited from it.

Sharp fully embraced the program, Head said. “Darolynn is an amazing person with an amazing spirit. She’s somebody who’s making the most out of life. Even during a hard time, her light really shines through.”

She loved the program, saying, “Some days, we just talked. Other days, we meditated. We’d swim and go on nature hikes. It was always uplifting. And one of the leaders, Beth Chen, was an oncology pharmacist, so she knows about cancer recovery better than anybody.”

Patients who get in an accident or face a cancer diagnosis will have an easier recovery if they’ve been involved in regular fitness activities. That’s the prevention aspect, Head said.

“Novant Health can address the diagnosis or incident, which is the intervention aspect,” he said. “Then, the Y can be an active part of the patient’s recovery. The intertwined nature of our work with Novant Health means our individual efforts are strengthened. And the true winners are the members who resume their lives more quickly.”

Treating the whole person

The YMCA partnership is a natural outgrowth of Novant Health’s philosophy of helping patients before, during and after cancer treatment.

“We want to get patients into a wellness habit,” Johnson said. That begins with group exercise classes and classes on nutrition, understanding cancer risk, maintaining a healthy lifestyle during treatment and more.

A nondenominational chaplain plus two psychosocial counselors also work with patients and their families. “The psychological aspect may be the part that's not healed after treatment,” Johnson said. “It can be difficult to move forward after cancer treatment. It’s still scary. Patients must learn how to live life again, as survivors, and our counselors and chaplain do a great job helping them.”

People who come to Novant Health for cancer care can continue getting care after treatment is over,” Johnson said. “Our survivorship programs and integrative medicine services are available as long as patients need them.

“You come here expecting your physical health to be taken care of by experts,” Johnson said. “And then you learn that we care for and support your mental, emotional and spiritual health, too.”

Darrolyn Sharp saw that firsthand. She, like many others, chose to continue her Y membership after LIVESTRONG ended. Sharp is still a regular at the Y. She swims, meditates, does yoga, lifts weights.

Cancer is in her past, she said. She doesn’t look back or dwell on it. “I’m not going to let fear set in,” she said. “Survivorship is about continuing to love life.”