ToquiNotes: Former Resident Michelle Wojciechowicz Rings Bell to End Major Part of Breast Cancer Battle
By Jeff Toquinto on October 12, 2024 from ToquiNotes
It was in July of 2020 when Michelle Wojciechowicz, her husband, and two children left the City of Bridgeport after calling it home for more than a decade.
The Wojciechowicz family never left because they disliked the community. Far from it, in fact, as Michelle still considers it home. They were moving because her husband Jason’s job with Petroleum Development Corporation (PDC) was taking them there.
In July of 2020, the move was made. The family headed to Arvada, which is 13 miles away from Denver.
Wojciechowicz knew she was in for a whole lot of firsts inevitable with a cross country move. And while she admitted there was the anxiety in leaving the comfort of family and friends about 1,500 miles away, she was certain she would not be flustered by any challenge that came her way.
That proved to be the case for the first few years. The family acclimated to its unfamiliar environment. Her daughter Ashley took off in the beauty business and hair care, son Josh has thrived as a student and football player at the Colorado School of Mines, and husband Jason no longer was jetting back and forth on a grueling basis between Bridgeport and Colorado to make sure Josh could finish out his senior year at Bridgeport High School.
The Wojciechowicz family also got involved in the community. They were busy making friends, particularly through the football team’s “family,” and being involved in their new church.
Most of what came was either expected or easily dealt with. That, however, would change – for Michelle in particular and her family and 
social circle in general – in a big way on Jan. 3 of this year.
social circle in general – in a big way on Jan. 3 of this year.
It was on that day Wojciechowicz received the results of a mammogram. She had inflammatory breast cancer – stage 3. It is a rarer type of breast cancer and had the added disadvantage of being extremely aggressive.
“That was definitely not in the plans. I don’t know if anyone ever sees this coming,” she said. “It was hard enough leaving home to come here and be away from family and friends, my hospital friends I worked with and so many others because I didn’t know a soul when I got here. This, though, was a challenge I had never faced before, and it was not something I could fix on my own.”
Help came. It would come from resolute medical professionals. It would come from her faith in God. And it would come from hope, the symbol and word associated with breast cancer that she learned is more than a pink ribbon and a trite word.
Hope, she found out, was real. It sustained her and those who care most about her for a battle that is in its end stages but continues to this day.
We will get back to her battle shortly. But a quick rewind is needed to see how she learned she had the disease.
The now 49-year-old who just recently celebrated her birthday, was used to having bumps or lumps in her breasts as she had been diagnosed with Fibrocystic Breast Disease. Because of that, she was a stickler for mammograms. Her last one, however, would turn up a different set of results.
“It was toward the end of the (Colorado School of Mines) football season (where son Josh is a standout long snapper) and we were in the playoffs; it was probably mid-November,” said Wojciechowicz. “I felt mild pain, but didn’t find a lump in my breast so thought it was fibrocystic related. On top of that, I had a mammogram coming up in January, so I brushed it off.”
As the football team continued its march through the postseason, around the second week of December, the pain was intense and not letting up. This time when doing her own physical exam, she felt a lump, and she immediately set up a mammogram.
“They got me in, did an ultrasound and saw some suspicious stuff, but with the fibrocystic disease the concern wasn’t nearly as big. Still, they wanted a biopsy,” she said.
The biopsy, she said, was going to wait. Her son’s team was going to play in the National Championship game, there were plans to head 
back to West Virginia during the Christmas holiday to the Charleston area where she grew up, and Wojciechowicz – and the medical team – thought with the fibrocystic disease the biopsy should be fine.
back to West Virginia during the Christmas holiday to the Charleston area where she grew up, and Wojciechowicz – and the medical team – thought with the fibrocystic disease the biopsy should be fine.
“It was late December when I got the results. Once the results were in, it showed a big tumor,” said Wojciechowicz, who said she and her husband did not let anyone in on what was going on prior to the official diagnosis in order “not to upset anyway in case it was nothing.”
It was something. Something that required a lot of testing because not only was it a strong stage 3 cancer, or stage 3C due it metastasizing to her lymph nodes, but it was the aforementioned inflammatory variant. That created other issues.
“With inflammatory, there are skin changes. I was actually looking bruised already,” said Wojciechowicz. “It made the entire process a little more complicated.”
The process started with the diagnosis. The end of the major leg of the journey came less than two weeks ago on Oct. 1, which ironically was the first day of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Between the time she was diagnosed and ringing the bell, Wojciechowicz showed what women, and some men as well, are when fighting the disease. She showed she was a warrior.
Don’t believe me?
Wojciechowicz had multiple chemotherapy treatments in two phases, including one phase with injections, which lasted six months. In total, there were 16 treatments.
There were also 30 radiation treatments and two surgeries, including a full mastectomy and lymph node removal. There will be another surgery after the first of the year as her body, burned from the radiation as a result of having the inflammatory breast cancer, heals.
Over the course of essentially nine months, Wojciechowicz saw her biggest fear moving west evaporate as she began her battle.
“I was moving away from my family, including my family in southern West Virginia and my Bridgeport people, my friends, and my entire support system. I actually wonder how things would work out if something happened while I was out here,” she said. “I found out that I didn’t need to worry. I found out what I already knew. That’s how God works. He handled it.
“He let me know when I had doubt that He would take care of things,” Wojciechowicz continued. “Boy, did he ever. The support and love I 
got from back home …, including old high school friend I hadn’t heard from in decades, to our Orediggers (Colorado School of Mines mascot) family, our Bible study and church friends, Jason’s work family, and some neighbors has been overwhelming in the most positive way.”
got from back home …, including old high school friend I hadn’t heard from in decades, to our Orediggers (Colorado School of Mines mascot) family, our Bible study and church friends, Jason’s work family, and some neighbors has been overwhelming in the most positive way.”
Wojciechowicz said the meals sent, the gift cards, get well cards, various other gifts were all a huge help and will not be forgotten. In particular, the prayers and words of encouragement that allowed for the hope to be real turned out to be the biggest gift.
“Hope is vital. You have to hang on to hope and faith. If not, the disease will consume you,” she said. “I’m not going to pretend that I was up every day. There were many days I was in the valley as opposed to the mountain top, but you cling to hope to get out of that valley. I put my faith in God and the situation in his hands because it was out of my control.”
Wojciechowicz praised the Rocky Mountain Cancer Center in Boulder for their care and compassion. And she praised the doctor she believed in most.
“God is the great physician. He’s still in charge of my healing,” she said. “Between the Lord, and with Jason, Ashley, Josh, or as we call it ‘Team Wojo,’ family, friends, and the surge of prayers, I am at this point today.”
Today, is near the middle of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Wojciechowicz said it is important to remember to do self checkups and be your advocate to not wait if you’re feeling something is not right.
“No matter your age, be checked if you feel a lump or have pain,” she said. “Early detection is the key to beating this and having hope, support, and faith in God are certainly things I would recommend.”
Wojciechowicz is officially in remission. She still is in a fight daily until that five-year mark where she will be considered cancer free.
“I can’t live in fear and wonder if or how long. I used to dread getting older, particularly as I near 50, but after my birthday, I can’t tell you how thankful I am to be that close to 50,” she said. “Thinking about turning 50 was a day I felt like I would kind of dread but is now one I think is worthy of celebration.”
Indeed, it will be. One made possible through faith, love, and hope.
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