10/17/2025
Every year, National Mammography Day serves as an important reminder of the power of early detection in the fight against breast cancer. Today, we wanted to share Covalyn's story, and encourage you and the women in your life to schedule your annual mammogram!
“If I have to go through this to help someone else, that would be enough,” Covalyn said. For more than 20 years, she’s been the friendly face in the front office at Heritage High School in Maryville. A lifelong resident of Blount County, she’s a mother of six, married 40 years, and happiest outside in the garden or strolling through a craft fair.
She never imagined she’d be the one from her group of coworkers to get a breast cancer diagnosis.
“We all encouraged each other to get our mammograms when the Mobile Mammography Unit came out to the Board of Education here in Blount County. It was so convenient – we joked it was like it was going to be in your driveway,” Covalyn said.
A week later, she got the call: they saw a few areas of concern. After a second mammogram and an ultrasound, the team at UT Medical Center’s Cancer Institute scheduled a biopsy. “I was terrified,” she said. “You’re just expecting the worst.”
But her fears started to ease when she met the University Breast Center team. “They talk you through everything – every step, every noise you’re going to hear – until you realize it’s not nearly as bad as you imagined,” she said. “We ended up laughing during the biopsy.”
The diagnosis: Stage 1 invasive ductal carcinoma. Dense breast tissue had masked the tumor on a traditional exam – another reason she now urges others to “suck it up and get the mammogram.”
She began treatment right away, starting hormone-blocking medication in April and undergoing surgery in May. “Dr. Brooks and Dr. Herbig were both amazing. They explained every option, and gave me time to process and decide,” she said.
Thankfully, Covalyn didn’t need radiation or chemotherapy, but recovery was still emotional and overwhelming. “When it comes to surgery, you don’t always know what to expect,” she said. “My friends were the ones who prepared me for the drains and the shirts I’d need to manage them.”
Today, she’s back at work, back in her yard, and back to herself – or at least discovering a new version of what that means. “You don’t really feel like yourself for a while. But maybe you come out of it changed for the better,” she said.
And her message to others? “Please get your mammogram. If you wait, it could be so much worse.” Thanks for sharing your story, Covalyn. It’s another testament to the power of early detection and the convenience of UT Medical Center’s Mobile Mammography Unit. https://bit.ly/47xcrLJ
