When Hayley Arnold of Cameron felt pain in her breast in August 2024, she never imagined it would lead to a life-changing diagnosis. At just 31 years old, a wife and mother to a two-year-old son, Arnold was told she had stage 2B invasive ductal carcinoma – breast cancer.
“I was shocked,” she recalled. “There’s no history of breast cancer in my family. I was so young, and I couldn’t believe it was happening to me.”
Her journey included six rounds of chemotherapy, a double mastectomy, reconstructive surgery and ongoing targeted therapy, according to a FirstHealth press release. But from the very beginning, Arnold said she never walked this journey alone.
Her OB/GYN, Lee Lowery, of FirstHealth OB/GYN and Southern Pines Women’s Health Center, immediately addressed her concerns and ordered the testing that confirmed the diagnosis. At the FirstHealth Cancer Center, she met Pinehurst Medical Clinic medical oncologist Thomas Richard, who explained every step with honesty and compassion. “He even encouraged me to get a second opinion,” Arnold said. “That gave me confidence that he truly wanted what was best for me. The second opinion confirmed what he had already mapped out, and I knew I was in the right place.”
Throughout treatment, nurse navigator Lynn Lanier was a steady presence, guiding Arnold through the whirlwind of appointments and emotions. She also found unexpected comfort in Cancer Center volunteer Susan Carter, a breast cancer survivor herself. “Susan was a godsend,” Arnold said. “Having someone who had walked this road before made all the difference. We’ve stayed in touch to this day.”
Even in difficult moments, the team found ways to bring light. Arnold remembers one chemotherapy session on Christmas Eve. “I was feeling really low about spending Christmas there. But when carolers and Santa came through the halls, it lifted my spirit completely. It reminded me that I wasn’t just a patient – I was part of a community that cared.”
Behind the scenes, Arnold leaned on the support of her family. He husband and sister accompanied her to appointments, offering comfort and encouragement. Her parents stepped in to help care for her and her young son. Beyond family, the love and support of her community surrounded her.
While active treatment was grueling, Arnold admits the hardest part came after. “During treatment, you’re actively fighting the disease. Once it’s over, you ask yourself, ‘Now what?’ That’s when I really struggled.”
Her oncologist referred her to Chasse Bailey-Dorton, medical director of FirstHealth’s Integrative Oncology and Survivorship Program. A breast cancer survivor herself, Dr. Bailey-Dorton understood Arnold’s fears of finishing treatment and the uncertainty that followed.
“Cancer survivorship begins at diagnosis and continues through the rest of life,” Dr. Bailey-Dorton said. “We want to empower patients to live their fullest life during and after cancer treatment.”
For Arnold, that empowerment came through small but meaningful steps. She joined the Exercise is Medicine program at the FirstHealth Cancer Center, where exercise specialists helped her rebuild strength and energy. She worked with a cancer dietitian to improve her nutrition and regain stamina. And she found reassurance in knowing that her care team was still by her side, even when the treatments ended. “Slowly, I started to feel better and more in control,” she said.
Today, Arnold is determined to help others – especially young breast cancer patients – navigate the difficult transition from treatment to survivorship. She shares her story openly to let others know they are not alone.
“A cancer diagnosis is not a death sentence,” she said. “There are resources and people who can help you live a full, healthy life after cancer. I want every patient to know that.”
Arnold remains deeply grateful to the FirstHealth Cancer Center team. “They cared for me like family, and the survivorship program gave me the tools and support I desperately needed to move forward.”
FirstHealth’s Integrative Oncology and Survivorship program offers holistic, patient-centered care that addresses the physical, emotional and mental health needs of cancer survivors. Led by Chasse Bailey-Dorton, the program helps patients transition from treatment to life beyond cancer with evidence-based approaches in exercise, nutrition, mental health and integrative therapies.
Learn more about FirstHealth’s Integrative Oncology and Survivorship Program.
Feature photo: Breast cancer survivor Hayley Arnold with her husband and son, grateful for the support of her family during her journey.
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Contributed article/photo.
