For Elizabeth Owens, getting back in the saddle this August meant more than returning to a favorite pastime. It marked an important milestone in a journey that began nearly a year earlier with a routine mammogram and an unexpected breast cancer diagnosis.
The 65-year-old and her husband relocated from the Washington, D.C., area to West End, N.C., about six years ago, drawn in part by their love of horses. Riding is a source of peace and stress relief for Owens, something she came to appreciate even more during her cancer journey.
In September 2025, Owens visited FirstHealth for her annual mammogram. When additional imaging was recommended, she sensed something wasn’t right. A biopsy soon confirmed that she had triple-negative breast cancer, an aggressive form of the disease.
Owens was referred to Bailey Sanders, M.D., a general surgeon with Pinehurst Surgical Clinic, and Charles Kuzma, M.D., a medical oncologist with FirstHealth and Pinehurst Medical Clinic. Together, her care team developed a treatment plan that included chemotherapy and a lumpectomy, followed by radiation therapy.
After learning of her diagnosis, Owens shared the news with her brother who lives on the West Coast. Through a family friend who is an oncologist, they sought an additional perspective on her diagnosis and treatment plan. The physician reviewed her information, researched FirstHealth and compared her options with other cancer centers in the state. His advice was reassuring; Owens was in excellent hands at FirstHealth.
Looking back, Owens couldn’t agree more.
“I truly believe I could not have received better care or had a better experience anywhere else,” she said. “Cancer is a lousy thing to go through, but there’s no better place to be than the FirstHealth Cancer Center.”
Owens credits her experience to the support she received across the Cancer Center, from the employees who greeted her at the front desk and those working in the lab to her nurse navigator, infusion nurses, providers and more. “Cancer is scary, but the staff are so supportive and helpful. They helped me feel brave and comfortable.”
Owens began chemotherapy in December 2025, following a slight delay caused by an unrelated emergency gallbladder surgery. She completed 14 weeks of infusions before undergoing a lumpectomy in June 2026.
Following surgery, her physicians shared encouraging news. She had achieved a pathologic complete response, meaning no residual invasive cancer was found in the tissue examined. She then completed three weeks of radiation therapy, and her chemotherapy port was removed in July.
Although chemotherapy brought fatigue and nausea, Owens considers herself fortunate that she was able to continue working throughout her treatment. She credits her supportive employer with providing the flexibility to work from home and rest when needed.
Like many patients undergoing chemotherapy, Owens also experienced hair loss. When her hair began falling out, a close friend helped her shave her head. She had anticipated that change and felt prepared for it.
What caught her off guard was losing her eyebrows and eyelashes.
“I went to put on makeup and realized they were gone,” she recalled.
That unexpected change affected her confidence in a way she hadn’t anticipated. Fortunately, Owens found support through the Look Good, Feel Better program offered at the FirstHealth Cancer Center. During the program, Owens worked with a makeup artist who taught her new techniques to help restore a sense of normalcy and confidence.
“It helped me feel feminine again,” she said. “I think every woman walked out of that program that day with their head held a little higher.”
While completing treatment was a milestone worth celebrating, Owens discovered that moving into survivorship brought unexpected emotions.
After months of regular appointments and treatments, she suddenly found herself wondering what came next.
“The people at the Cancer Center had become such a huge part of my life,” she said.
That’s when Owens discovered FirstHealth’s Integrative Oncology and Survivorship Program, led by Chasse Bailey-Dorton, M.D., a cancer survivor herself and director of FirstHealth’s integrative oncology program.
The program helps patients navigate life during and after cancer treatment, with resources focused on physical, emotional and overall well-being.
Owens joined the Cancer Center’s Exercise is Medicine program, working with exercise specialists to rebuild her strength, stamina and energy. She also met with a dietitian to focus on nutrition and recovery.
Just as importantly, the program helped her maintain the sense of connection she had developed throughout treatment.
In August, Owens reached a particularly meaningful milestone when she climbed back onto her horse.
For someone who finds comfort and peace at the barn, the moment represented something she loves and an opportunity to move forward after a challenging year.
She credits her recovery not only to her medical team but also to the people who surrounded her with encouragement throughout her journey.
Her husband remained by her side, her brother flew across the country to be with her at her first chemotherapy treatment, and friends and neighbors provided meals, attended appointments and offered a constant source of support.
That network of care, she believes, made a tremendous difference.
Her advice to others facing a cancer diagnosis is simple, “Stay as positive as you can. Give yourself grace and surround yourself with supportive people.”
For those who may not have a strong network of family and friends, Owens encourages them to take advantage of the resources available through the FirstHealth Cancer Center.
“Lean on the caring staff and support services,” she said.
She also has another message she hopes women will take to heart.
“I tell all of my friends to get their mammograms. It can save your life,” Owens said. “My cancer was extremely aggressive, but we caught it early. It could have been so much worse.”
Today, Owens is grateful for the care that helped her through cancer, the people who continue to support her and the simple joy of being back in the saddle.
