Beating Breast Cancer When Donna Wentz felt the twinge in her left breast, and then the pea-sized lump, she tried to will it away. "I kept thinking, ‘I didn’t just feel that,’" recounted the Douglasville resident. "I thought it would go away." Little did the 39-year- old mother of two know that it was not the only tumor in her breasts, and that her discovery marked the beginning of a very aggressive battle against Stage 3 breast cancer.
Donna's breast cancer journey, which began in September 2014, included surgery in October 2014, followed by chemotherapy and radiation. Working closely with her surgeon and care team, she decided this treatment sequence was best for her. Now cancer free, Donna came through it all like the Wonderwoman her family, friends and co-workers know that she is. “It’s not uncommon for people to work during radiation, but most cut back drastically,” explained Allison Brown, radiation oncology therapist, WellStar Paulding Hospital. “Donna never missed a beat – she worked every day.”
Donna had 34 daily radiation treatments, over the course of seven weeks last summer. She went to WellStar Paulding Radiation Oncology Center every day after work, accompanied by either her mom, or a co-worker from the Douglas County Juvenile Court, where she has worked for 22 years. She had started chemotherapy in December 2014, and some days did chemo in the morning and radiation in the afternoon. Her last chemo treatment was Feb. 4, 2016; in celebration, her co-workers treated her family to rides on the Ferris wheel at Centennial Olympic Park.
“With radiation, you go every day, and you form relationships,” said Donna. “The Paulding Radiation Oncology Center is the best healthcare facility. Every single person showed me so much compassion. And they’re the same with every patient – I saw it firsthand. They laughed with me, cried with me – everyone was just amazing.”
“We have an excellent team, mainly because we work very well together and are all focused on patient care,” said Allison. “We actively listen and we’re proactive with situations that arise during treatment, which cuts down on side effects. We go way beyond what is necessary to ensure our patients receive world-class healthcare.”
“I want women to know breast cancer is not a death sentence,” said Donna. “You know your body – follow your instincts, do your self-exams, and go to your doctor.”

WellStar provides the entire spectrum of cancer care, from diagnosis through recovery. In addition to radiation oncology therapy, WellStar Paulding offers genetic counseling, state-of- the- art mammography (including stereotactic biopsy), outpatient infusion, nutritional counseling and support groups for cancer patients. For more information, call 770-793- 7470.