In August, Cheryl Biondolillo of Gloucester, received the news no one wants to hear when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

The diagnosis came after a mammogram in July, after electing to skip her checkup the year prior due to COVID-19 and other medical reasons. She is now urging others to not skip the yearly trip to the doctor like she did.

There was no lump, said Biondolillo. There were no warning signs her body gave her either. Only after her mammogram and biopsy did she know the definitive results.

Even with the news, Biondolillo said she did not panic. Her grandmother, her aunt and some of her friends had gone through breast cancer treatment successfully and that gave her a measure of ease. She knew it wasn’t the end of the road, only the beginning.

If anything, Biondolillo’s diagnosis felt more like a bump in the road of the busy life of a CPA. She said she would not let her treatment cause her work to stop. She underwent surgery in September making sure she scheduled it around the tax deadline on the 15th of the month.

As treatments started to disrupt Biondolillo’s way of life, she would ask herself if it was necessary to let it impact her routines. The obvious answer was always yes. Breast cancer isn’t something that just goes away, and it is better to fight it sooner than later.

Though her cancer was caught at a treatable stage, Biondolillo’s doctors suggested that it might have been caught in 2020, the year she skipped her mammogram. If found then, she said the treatment would have been less invasive than surgery.

Biondolillo is also well aware of where she might be if she had chosen to skip her mammogram this year. Due to aggressive nature of breast cancer, she said waiting another year would have changed everything about her treatment for the worse.

It is for those reasons that Biondolillo is now encouraging others to get checked. She knows she was not the only one who chose to skip a year during the pandemic. One woman, one of her friends, who after learning of Biondolillo’s condition, had a mammogram done as soon as she could.

“I want people not to ignore and wait,” said Biondolillo.

COVID is still a concern for many, but Biondolillo recommends taking the necessary precautions for COVID and not to delay getting a mammogram any longer. She admits that she hates getting them as much as the next person but knows the alternative could be worse.

So far, all of Biondolillo’s treatment has been done in Gloucester, including her surgery. She said many may not realize how much treatment is available so close to home. Having to travel back and forth to other counties was a worry for her that was relieved early on.

Biondolillo also wants to encourage those who are and will be fighting against cancer. One of her biggest sources of support are those around her, especially those who have already had breast cancer.

Prior to her surgery, Biondolillo’s aunt talked to her about what to expect. She said having others around her who can relate to what she’s experiencing because they have already gone through it makes it easier for her. She encourages others fighting cancer to reach out to those they may know for advice and for comfort.

At present, Biondolillo is about to begin the preliminary process for chemotherapy. She isn’t sure how she’ll feel once she begins chemo but she knows her cancer is treatable and those around her will help keep her spirits high.