BILLINGS - We often hear that early detection is best when it comes to a breast cancer diagnosis, and for one Billings woman that's exactly what saved her life.
In January of 2022 Vicky Trier’s life was forever changed when her routine mammogram found something.
"That's when I found out that it was in both breasts instead of just one," Trier said.
Tumors so small that she would have never found them herself with a self-exam.
"Two tumors in my right breast, which are negative, which meant that it was a little more aggressive," she said.
Then in February, the news she feared.
“My Valentine's Day present this year was breast cancer."
After that things moved quickly.
"I had a bilateral mastectomy on March 10 and started chemotherapy on April 11."
Her chemo treatment was just as aggressive as the cancer she’d been diagnosed with, triple negative.
But Vicky marched on, relying heavily on her nurses at the St. Vincent Cancer Center who took on the role of reminding her how strong she already was.
"She always made her strength and grace through her fight, which I think is so beautiful to watch,” said nurse Caroline Blomquist.
Through treatment, Trier took pleasure in the small things; work and walks with her dog.
The cancer took her hair, but not her will to fight.
And now, after round after round of chemo, she’s done. She has just one message for every other woman out there.
"I've been telling everybody, get your screaming, please get your screening mammograms because these are not tumors I ever would have felt had I done this self-exam."
Through a devastating breast cancer diagnosis, Trier used the strength within her to beat it but in the process gave others the pleasure of knowing she could.
“I'm just happy that we caught it early."
