In April 2020, Bronxville resident Kimberlee Johnson found a lump on her breast. It took her months to get an appointment to see a doctor due to the start of the pandemic.
"How do you do a breast exam with telehealth? it doesn't work,” says Johnson.
She was concerned about not being able to see a doctor until September because of the strict COVID-19 protocols that many doctor’s offices had in place.
"It started off like almost like the size of a pecan in a shell and it had gotten to the point where a month later, it was like a golf ball,” says Johnson.
She was finally able to see a doctor in person in July after months of trying.
“She said, 'You really have to pray.' She said 'I don't know if this is treatable,' and in that moment, I was just speechless,” says Johnson.
Throughout her treatment, Johnson told News 12 she knew she needed to live for her family. She went through nearly two years of treatment, including chemotherapy, radiation and a mastectomy. COVID-19 protocols only allowed her to have one person with her during chemotherapy for support.
"The treatment was very, very intense and grueling at times,” says Johnson.
Johnson’s doctors said the height of the COVID-19 pandemic was challenging and they noticed a decline in breast cancer screenings because it was difficult to see patients in person.
“People were afraid to come to hospitals and to see doctors at that time,” says Dr. Andrew Ashikari, director of Northwell Breast Care Center at Northern Westchester Hospital and Phelps Hospital. “The problem was people were still coming in with cancer.”
Johnson has been in remission since December 2021.
“It feels amazing,” she says. “You have to continue to fight for yourself, for your family even when it's difficult.”
