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My name is Heidi Scheidler. I have worked for Kroger for 30 years. I am also an 8-year breast cancer survivor.
I was a 42-year-old mom raising my 14-year-old daughter who had just graduated from the 8th grade when I was diagnosed at a mobile mammogram unit that came to our office.
Mammograms make miracles.
Nobody in my family had been affected by the disease, so it was a total surprise when the doctor told me the complete opposite of what I was expecting. I had never really been exposed to breast cancer and it all happened so quickly. I was shocked, numb, and not sure what to think.
The first fear that came to mind was for my daughter, and that my diagnosis may have predisposed her to cancer. But now, I see it as a positive that she will be more aware and start checking earlier than I did. My daughter was a driving force that helped me get through my treatment. My breast cancer diagnosis has opened her eyes to the disease. My hope is that she'll get the word out to younger women.
I was blessed to have such positive support rally around me. My God, my family, and my friends carried me through each day. My Kroger family was there every step of the way, too. It's really important to allow people to help you. I'm now an 8-year survivor and I celebrate my re-birth day every year. To think, those 15 minutes I spent in the mobile mammogram changed my life and created a future where one would not have been. I truly believe mammograms make miracles.
- Heidi
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