Cherié Shortridge describes herself as having a type A personality, so when she found a lump in her breast, she immediately acted and had herself checked out at Kelsey-Seybold. The news wasn’t good. Cherié had breast cancer.

In rapid succession, Cherié and her husband met with a team of cancer specialists at the Kelsey-Seybold Cancer Center at Berthelsen Main Campus, and a treatment plan was mapped out with their input. Then she underwent 18 weeks of chemotherapy, bilateral mastectomy, and TrueBeam radiation therapy.

“That was part of what I liked about the process. Once we had a plan, it was executed rapidly, which fit with my personality. My approach is to deal directly with whatever confronts me,” she said.

There wasn’t any doubt in Cherié’s and her husband’s minds about having her cancer treated at the Kelsey-Seybold Cancer Center.

“I’m a big proponent of managed care where your physicians all have access to the same information. That’s how I’ve managed my care since I’ve been in Houston. I really do like the approach that Kelsey-Seybold takes, where you feel part of the family and they follow the same treatment protocols as other major cancer centers,” Cherié said.

Her advice to others diagnosed with cancer is, “Allow yourself to grieve, get mad, and be sad – but then get over it. Have a plan and follow it. Be selfish. Take care of yourself. Do whatever you need to do so that you can be there for your family later.”

Cherié’s own experience with cancer taught her she’s stronger than she thought she was. She also came to recognize that even a type A person can’t control everything.

“I’m a take charge person. I’m used to being in control and tend to push past my limitations. With cancer, you’re not in control. So, cancer taught me there are some limitations I can’t push past and to let go of a few things, which turned out to be easier than I thought,” she recalled.

Cherié said that she’s impressed with the care she received from the Kelsey-Seybold Cancer Center. “I tell everyone I talk to that if they have cancer, they should go the Kelsey-Seybold. It’s a great experience with good coordination and a caring, compassionate staff,” she said.