Karyn Turner was surprised in 2016 when she was diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer. There’s no history of cancer or any other major illness in her family and she leads a fairly healthy lifestyle. Fortunately, it was detected early and was treated with surgery and a single dose of radiation.

She was even more surprised when she discovered a lump under her arm in July 2020. Not taking any chances, Turner decided to get it checked out right away, despite the fact she wasn’t due for a mammogram until October.

The biopsy came back positive. “It said the cancer is back and this time it’s aggressive,” said Turner.

The diagnosis was Stage 3 HER2-positive breast cancer that had spread to the lymph nodes. The treatment recommendation was surgery followed by chemotherapy.

“It’s scary to hear the words cancer and chemo. But my team at Virginia Mason Franciscan Health are the best. For someone going through this, I’ve never felt more comfortable,” said Turner.

She began chemotherapy and Turner figures she suffered every negative side effect – dizzy spells, nausea, neuropathy, she even lost her hair and fingernails. Surgery, which was scheduled for December 2020, had to be postponed three months when she came down with COVID-19.

On March 25, she underwent surgery to remove 27 lymph nodes, 25 of which were cancerous. Turner will continue chemotherapy into next year under the watchful eye of her husband, Richard, who is also a cancer survivor, having been diagnosed with two bouts of bladder cancer.

On Thursday, May 13, two days shy of the couple’s 36 wedding anniversary, Turner will be introduced as the Mariners Honorary Bat Girl and throw out the ceremonial first pitch before the Mariners play the Cleveland Indians at T-Mobile Park.

Honorary Bat Girl is a program begun by Major League Baseball in 2006 to raise awareness and funds to support breast cancer research. Each spring, the Mariners official “Partner in Health,” Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, joins with the Mariners to recognize breast cancer survivors and spotlight the work of VMFH’s health professionals.

Turner’s care team includes Primary Care Provider Ellen Frechette, MD, surgeon Debra Wechter, MD, and oncologist Meaghan O’Malley, MD.

“With Dr. O’Malley, her RN, or my other doctors, it’s like sitting and talking with a friend. Getting this diagnosis and knowing I had to do chemo and surgery was scary. They talked me off the ledge and said “This is going to be alright. We have a plan.’ It’s just comfortable. That’s how they make you feel,” said Turner.

Turner is looking forward to getting stronger and as soon as it’s safe, traveling to California to see her children, grandchildren and new great grandson. She and Richard are also eager to get back to competing in national bowling tournaments. She has a respectable 202 average, and Richard rolls 240, which puts him on par with many professionals.

In the meantime, she has advice for any woman who may have put off their mammograms due to the impacts of the COVID-19 shutdown: “You have to stay on top of your annual screenings and self-exams. I insist that the women in my life make appointments and go in and get their mammograms,” said Turner.