It takes a while to admit it, sometimes many years, but most of us eventually realize that we learned valuable life lessons from our parents.
It works the other way, too. Sometimes parents learn valuable life lessons from their children, and it doesn’t take them as long to realize it. Ask 69-year-old Dixie Kelly, a resident of the Schuyler county community of Camden, Illinois.
“If it had not been for my daughter, I would not have done the mammogram when I did. I would have put it off,” Dixie admitted.
Tag team mammography
Dixie is an honest woman. When asked if she received screening mammograms as recommended, she says no. After receiving her baseline mammogram at 40 years old, as she should have, it would be another decade or so before Dixie received a second screening mammogram, until her daughter Christa turned 40 and encouraged her mom to come with her for the potentially life-saving medical test.
“Christa started going to the Blessing Breast Center and I followed along,” Dixie said.
In 2024, Dixie received a call-back because of concern over the results of her mammogram. Further testing showed no cancer. So, on June 19, 2025 when she was called back again after her annual mammogram, Dixie was not worried.
“I didn’t really think about there being anything wrong,” she said. “I had already had one like that.” Dixie also felt confident because she had no symptoms.
Sometimes history does not repeat itself. This time further testing showed Dixie had early stage breast cancer. “I was shocked. I was sure it would be like last year and there would not be anything. I think it was more shocking for my daughter.”
Time for treatment, but where?
It’s a 100-mile round trip from Dixie’s home to Blessing Hospital. But since Blessing diagnosed her cancer, she wanted it treated at Blessing.
Both Dixie and her husband of 52 years, Jack, were impressed with her care from the start.
“Within days, they were doing things,” Jack said.
Her care team included breast center patient navigator Jessica Nuebel, MSN, RN; and doctors Emmanuel Bessay, surgeon; Rob Johnson, radiation oncologist; and Mohammed Memon, medical oncologist.
Dixie underwent additional testing, including an MRI that showed a third tumor that the mammogram and an ultrasound test were unable to detect. And within a month of her fateful mammogram, Dixie had a lumpectomy to remove the three tumors.
“I was impressed with that,” she said about the speed of her care. “It didn’t leave me a lot of time to sit and dwell on the situation.”
Dixie and Jack were also impressed with her care team’s concern for their time. As often as possible, the appointments Dixie needed to see doctors and undergo tests were scheduled on the same day to reduce the Kelly’s need to travel from Camden to Quincy.
“They did whatever they could to make it easier for us,” Dixie said.
Dixie’s care will be complete by later this fall after she receives 25 radiation therapy treatments to treat any remaining cancer cells. Dixie and Jack are pleased with their choice of Blessing.
“Everyone we have been around has been so nice and helpful,” Dixie said. “They care.”
“Every department we’ve dealt with has been exceptional,” Jack added.
The Kellys say they plan to use Blessing for all their future healthcare needs.
Words of advice
In addition to her care team, Dixie credits the support of her husband, daughter and other family and friends for helping her through her health crisis.
And there is one more thing - actually, three more things from Dixie: “Mammograms. Mammograms. Mammograms,’ she said with a smile. “I had no symptoms. The mammogram found the cancer and started the process. If I was waiting for symptoms, the situation could have been much worse. Get that mammogram. Don’t put it off.”
Jack’s a believer, too. “That is definitely how it’s caught early” he said. “She had no indication things had changed from one year to the next except for that mammogram.”
A doctor’s order is not needed for an annual screening mammogram. Call 217-223-8400, ext. 4300, to schedule a screening mammogram at Blessing Hospital, Blessing Health Hannibal or Illini Community Hospital in Pittsfield.