Cancer Survivor Shouts from the Rooftops: “Get Your Mammograms!”

Jodi Doty, a life-long Dubuque resident, went in for what was her second-ever mammogram at the age of 60, in March 2025. The American Cancer Society recommends women begin annual screening for breast cancer at age 40, or earlier if there’s family history of the disease. However Doty, like many women, prioritized taking care of her family over her own health for many years.

First Mammogram at 59 Years Old Reveals Stage Two Breast Cancer

“My family encouraged me to get my first mammogram at age 59,” said Doty. “They said, ‘You’re always taking care of everybody else and making sure we get to the doctor or get tests done. You need to start taking care of yourself.’”

Thankfully, Doty listened to her family’s suggestion and went to the radiology department at UnityPoint Health – Finley Hospital for her first mammogram and then her second a year later.
She was asked to come back after that second mammogram appointment because the team found a suspicious spot. Following an additional mammogram, she received an ultrasound and eventually received the news: Stage 2 breast cancer.

“It was devastating,” said Doty “Your mind just goes blank. You don’t ever want to hear the word ‘cancer.’ There were a lot of tests, and as results came back, we found it hadn’t spread to my lymph nodes, which made me a little less scared going into surgery.”

Lumpectomy and Radiation to Treat the Cancer

Doty chose to have a lumpectomy to remove the tumor in her left breast. Ahmad El-Hattab, MD, surgeon with Dubuque Surgery PC, performed the procedure in Finley Hospital’s advanced surgical suites.

“Dr. El-Hattab was very straightforward and told me everything that was going to happen with the surgical process,” said Doty. “He and his nurse always took time to answer my questions and made me feel like I was part of their family. Everything went really well with surgery.”

Following the operation, Doty had a two-week break for recovery. During this time, she met with her oncologist, Mark Hermann, MD, with the Wendt Regional Cancer Center. They discussed her treatment plan, and after Oncotype testing (genetic testing to predict cancer recurrence), Dr. Hermann recommended radiation treatments.

For this part of her treatment, Doty worked with Paul Lindholm, MD, Wendt Cancer Center radiation oncologist, and the radiation team. She would receive radiation treatment every day, Monday through Friday, for three weeks.

“The radiation team was phenomenal – from the receptionist Janaan, who always has a smile on her face, to the radiation therapists who I called ‘my girls,’ to Dr. Lindholm and his nurse Mary Carol,” said Doty. “Mary has been like a mother to me, guiding me through everything and helping with any side effects I’ve experienced.

“Everyone was so positive, and they keep things upbeat, but if you need to cry, they’ll cry with you,” she continued. “They made me feel like, ‘okay, I can do this.’. They’ve all found their calling, and I couldn’t have picked a better group of people to go on this journey with me.”

Becoming a Champion for Mammograms

Doty’s breast cancer treatment may have ended after she rang the bell at the Wendt Cancer Center, but a new journey of advocating for women to take care of their health and have regular mammograms was just beginning.

“I’ll be shouting, ‘get your mammograms’ from the rooftops,” said Doty. “I felt perfectly fine and had no symptoms at all. I want to tell women to not wait. Mammograms don’t hurt, and it’s worth the short time it takes, once a year, to get it done. If I would have continued waiting, I don’t think I would have had the outcome I did. Mammograms do save your life."

The Right Care, Right Here

If you’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer, or any type of cancer, the Wendt Regional Cancer Center is here for you. To learn more about our team and the services we provide, visit Wendt Regional Cancer Center.

Get Your Annual Screening Mammogram

The American Cancer Center recommends women start with a baseline mammogram between the ages of 35-40, then begin annual screening mammograms at age 40, or sooner if there’s a family history of breast cancer.

To schedule your mammogram, talk to your doctor today.