“The Navy saved my life first. Then VA did it again.”
When Navy Veteran Missina Schallus chose to have a double mastectomy (removal of breast tissue) in 2023, she didn’t have a breast cancer diagnosis, but she had a gut feeling due to her personal and family history.
That decision, and her gut instinct, likely saved her life.
“I had been going through high-risk monitoring for years,” she said, due to her previous cancers, radiation to her neck and chest, and her mother’s history. “Every mammogram led to another biopsy. My last one? Seven biopsies. I just couldn’t live in that constant cycle of fear and uncertainty anymore.”
“The Navy saved my life first. Then VA did it again”
Missina served 21 years in the Navy as a Yeoman-Flag Writer, rising to the rank of Chief. “I was headed down a path of trouble before I enlisted. The Navy gave me purpose, structure and a second family,” she said. “It shaped who I am and helped carry me through everything, even cancer.”
In 2023, Schallus had a mastectomy at the Washington D.C. VA Medical Center. Her care team included what she termed “a team of angels.”
A few weeks later, her doctor called with unexpected news: pathology showed early-stage breast cancer.
“She told me she was proud of me, for listening to my body, for advocating for myself,” Schallus said. “That moment was validating and overwhelming all at once. I didn’t have to go through chemo or radiation because we had already removed the cancer during the mastectomy.”
“They saw me—not just a patient, but as a person”
Schallus describes her VA care as nothing short of extraordinary.
VA plastic surgeons performed her breast implant procedure. Physician Assistant Kim Callaway “held my hand when I cried. She took every call, answered every message, talked me through every fear,” she said. “My nurse, Seblewongel Tessema, greeted me every time with warmth and asked about my kids. They didn’t just treat my diagnosis—they treated me.”
A few months after surgery, Schallus had an emergency with her breast implant. It was the Friday after Thanksgiving, and she was out of town. She called Callaway in a panic.
The experience led to physical and emotional challenges, including severe depression. “I was crying 10 times a day, trying to work full time and be a present mom,” she said. “I just couldn’t see the light.”
Her VA providers continued to support her. They listened, adjusted her care and were there for her whenever she needed them. They helped get the emergency taken care of.
“There is no cure for breast cancer’s emotional toll,” she said. “But when you have a team that validates your feelings, listens to your concerns and helps you reclaim your identity, it makes all the difference.”
“Survivorship means choosing to live”
Her story is one of resilience, but also one of learning to accept help. “As a woman Veteran, there’s this pressure to be strong all the time,” she said. “But I’ve learned that asking for help is strength. Vulnerability is courage.”
Now, she sees survivorship as not just surviving cancer but choosing to truly live after it. “I’m embracing my new normal. I’ve found beauty in my scars, in my story, in this next chapter,” she said. She is now a six-time—four-different cancers—survivor (Hodgkin lymphoma, melanoma, papillary thyroid, and now breast cancer).
Women Veterans: Listen, advocate, ask for help
To other women Veterans, Schallus offers this: “Listen to your gut. You know your body better than anyone. Advocate fiercely for yourself, and surround yourself with providers who truly see you.”
She encourages women Veterans to stay on top of their preventive care, especially mammograms and screenings.
“I’m still here because I had a team that didn’t just treat my cancer, they helped me heal,” she added.
VA’s breast health services
We encourage all women Veterans to talk to their provider about breast cancer risk. Learn which preventive screenings are right for you and seek support if you’re diagnosed.
VA provides personalized care that supports your physical, mental, emotional and social well-being. Your VA health care team gets to know you as a whole person, focusing on what matters to you most.
VA offers breast cancer services, including:
Risk assessments.
Mammograms.
Breast ultrasounds and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Breast biopsies and surgery.
Genetic counseling and testing.
Cancer diagnosis and treatment.
These are available either at a VA medical facility or through a community provider.
If you are diagnosed with breast cancer, VA offers full oncology services, including imaging, surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and access to clinical trials. Your mental health needs will also be supported by your VA health care team.
Get screened at VA
Schallus’s story is unique due to her high risk for breast cancer, but all women should stay up to date with recommended screening. One in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and early detection improves survival.
VA recommends that you begin getting mammograms at age 40 and continue screening every other year through age 74. You may choose to be screened annually, or after age 74, after discussing risks and benefits with your provider. If you are less than 40 years of age with a personal history of military deployment in support of certain contingency operations and periods, you may be eligible to receive a mammogram through the Service ACT. For more information, see Breast Cancer Screening for Veterans with Toxic Exposure.
Mammograms are available at over 80 VA locations or through community providers.
Learn more about breast cancer screening and resources at www.womenshealth.va.gov. You could also check out this video about breast cancer screening for women Veterans. We invite you to contact the Women Veterans Call Center for free and confidential support for this and other VA health care questions. Call or text 855-829-6636 on weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. ET or Saturdays 8:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. ET.
