Being a breast cancer surgeon is a rewarding path. UCLA's Dr. Carlie Thompson says walking alongside her patients is a privilege.
"It's always fed my soul. Always," she said.
Mammograms have always been her mantra. Last summer, at 41, she had her first breast cancer screening. What the scan revealed changed everything.
"It identified an early but extensive form of breast cancer that required a bilateral mastectomy to treat. It did feel serendipitous, ironic, maybe, " she said.
In that moment, Thompson went from provider to patient. For a decade, she's guided women through this difficult diagnosis. Now her understanding has come full circle.
"It's really deepened my perspective very much," Thompson said.
As a physician, she's been a champion of Susan G. Komen's contribution to research and patient care. Now the support she's giving to the "More than Pink Walk" in Los Angeles feels a bit more personal.
"It's an electrifying event. The energy is contagious," she said.
The walk generates critical funds for promising research and Komen's Patient Care Center, which offers breast cancer support, resources and education on early detection.
Thompson said regular screening gives women the opportunity to take control of their health.
"You hear it said all the time, at least I do, because it's what I do. It's the field I'm in. But mammograms, screening mammograms, save lives, and it's true," Thompson said.
From surgeon to survivor - mammograms matter is a message she hopes to repeat for a long time to come.
The Susan G. Komen More Than Pink Walk in LA is set for Sunday, Oct. 26. For details, visit www.komen.org.