Westfield woman shares breast cancer story to aid others
By Mark Ambrogi
At first, Missy Boyter Gunnels wasn’t sure if she wanted to share her story of breast cancer survival.
Gunnels finally sent in the application 90 minutes before the deadline to be an ambassador for the Susan G. Komen Foundation.
“I struggled because if I didn’t know if I wanted to share my story because I didn’t want to scare other women into not getting their mammogram or surgeries needed because I had a bad experience,” Gunnels said.
Soon she realized that she did have a story to share. Gunnels, who has two children – Jon-Michael, 20, and Elizabeth, 12 – learned she had ductal carcinoma in-situ after having her yearly mammogram in December 2013. There were some serious complications in Gunnels’ natural reconstruction following her double mastectomy.
“I would tell people it felt like I laid on the railroad tracks and a train ran over me 10 times,” Gunnels said of the of the 11-hour surgery. “That’s what I felt like.”
Yet despite her struggles, Gunnels has persevered and she realized she does have a message of hope to share.
Gunnels, who turned 47 on Feb. 25, will be taking part in the survivors’ walk in the Komen Race for the Cure on April 18 at Military Park in Indianapolis. The event is designed to raise funds and awareness about breast cancer.
Gunnels had her surgery on Jan. 22, 2014. About the one-month mark, her umbilical area was dying and she underwent surgery to repair and remove the tissue. She was then placed on a wound pump. On March 17, she was rushed to the hospital when her wound pump alarm went off. Following 13 days and four surgeries, she was finally released to go home.
“Through the grace of God, I survived. I’m a miracle. I know I am,” she said.
Gunnels, who had been an instructional assistant at Sheridan Middle School before her breast cancer was diagnosed, had hoped life would return to normal quickly after her double mastectomy.
“It’s not the story I wanted to have when I sat down with my surgeon,” she said. “I would get well, go back to work and life would go on. But I’m thankful to be alive. I’m thankful for the community of friends who are basically family to us. I don’t think we had a need or a want that wasn’t taken care of.”
Gunnels said her family doctor, William Kirsch; surgeon, Dr. Sam Heiser; and Riverview Health staff were great.
Gunnels said her husband Mike’s employer, Indiana Oxygen Company, was very understanding when he need to take time off to help. Her parents and sister, a registered nurse, also came up from South Carolina to help.
The Gunnels family has lived in Westfield since 2002. Mike previously was an Army officer so they had lived all over. When Gunnels was hospitalized, she received well-wishers from all over, including Africa and Korea.
In support for the Gunnels family, there were several Faith, Hope, Love and Missy bracelets sold in the Sheridan schools.
“I’ll never take it off,” Jon-Michael said of the bracelet. “I love her so much. The whole thing tore us down a bit. It brought us in a stronger and deeper connection. Now we wake up every day thankful we’re all together.”
His father added, “We started to cherish each day instead of taking it for granted.”
Jon-Michael, a 2013 Sheridan High School graduate, was a freshman at Indiana University during his mother’s health issues. He missed so much school as he returned home to help the family that he had to withdraw from school. IU refunded his fees. Jon-Michael is now taking a year off school to work.
“IU was fantastic, giving Jon-Michael that grace because that could have destroyed his GPA for the rest of his college career,” Gunnels said.
Life hasn’t completely returned to normal yet. Gunnels wasn’t cleared to return to teaching until September so she couldn’t return to her job as an instructional assistant.
“The school has allowed me to sub when I feel like it,” Gunnels said. “I can usually sub three days a week and that pretty much wipes me out.”
When Gunnels does sub, she still sees her personalized pink bracelets worn by some students. It still warms her heart.
Now Gunnels’ mission is to raise awareness for others.
“I want women to do self-exams and then at 40 give yourself a birthday present and get your first mammogram,” she said.
For information about the Race for the Cure, visit
indy.info-komen.org/site/PageServer?pagename=IND_TR_racedayinfo.
