The Way a Warrior Wins
PICTURED ABOVE
DOCJT Class Coordinator Lee Ann Boyle cites a strong support system, a good attitude, lots of prayer and early detection as keys to make it through a battle with breast cancer. Having gotten to the other side of the battle, Boyle is happy to focus on her family, her recruits and living life to the fullest. (Photo by Jim Robertson)
She knew it could happen, but she hoped it never would.
Due to a lengthy family history of breast cancer that included her mother’s diagnoses, Department of Criminal Justice Training Class Coordinator Lee Ann Boyle always knew she had to watch for the disease.
That lingering fear became a reality when, standing outside during the 2022 Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony, Boyle received the dreaded call from her doctor. She had cancer.
“I called my husband and told him what they said,” Boyle recalled. “He immediately started crying. I told him we needed to calm down and we couldn’t cry.”
Now what?
The longtime law enforcement officer, who served Berea Police Department for 19 years before joining DOCJT in 2017, began doing what she does best, leading with the heart of a warrior. Two days after the call from her doctor, she began meeting with experts. Cancer would not beat Boyle.
The cancer, ductal carcinoma in situ, was contained and considered stage zero. Early detection, a priority Boyle had made at a young age by beginning yearly mammograms at age 25, had paid off.
Following her mother’s breast cancer journey, Boyle had decided how she would handle her health. She knew she didn’t want to follow in her mother’s footsteps, having a lumpectomy, a long series of radiation treatments or being on hormone blockers for the rest of her life. If diagnosed, Boyle said she always knew that a double mastectomy—an effort to remove affected cells and reduce harsh treatments—would be her choice.
“The one question I asked (each doctor) was, ‘if this was your mother or your sister, what would you want them to do?’” Boyle said, recalling each time the answer was the same—double mastectomy. “It was a hard decision, but it was a smart decision.”
On July 29, Boyle underwent the four- and half-hour surgery. The good news came when she went back to her oncologists, who told her that when they removed her lymph nodes, the margins were clear. Boyle wouldn’t have to return for repeated mammograms or take hormone blockers.
“When people ask how I feel, I say, ‘I’m blessed,” she said. “I don’t know how else to feel.”
Creating successful circumstances
Boyle agrees with the common sentiment that early detection is one of the most important factors in beating cancer. And while mammograms are often considered both painful and degrading—she is very thankful it was part of her yearly exam routine.
The survivor noted that, from what she has been told, cancer could sometimes be in someone’s system for three years before a lump is felt. However, a mammogram can usually detect those suspicious cells early.
She also added that having a positive mindset, mixed with a good sense of humor, will help one get through anything and everything they must go through during a breast cancer journey.
From a loving husband who encouraged her to make her own choice while letting her know he would be with her every step of the way, to a best friend who accompanied Boyle skydiving, she credited her vast support system in helping her get through cancer and continue living past it.
Known to give 110% to her recruits, Boyle said she never shied away from giving health updates to her students.
“The support I had from those recruits, the prayers that went up, the lives that were touched — not only by talking about it with them, but many had family members who had gone through the same thing that would reach out to me,” she said.
Additionally, she added that DOCJT’s administration and leadership provided amazing support. Boyle noted that someone from the executive staff, whether Commissioner Nicolai Jilek, Deputy Commissioner John Schwartz or Training Director Frank Kabala contacted her husband daily during her recovery to check on them and to ask what they could do.
“I’d just ask them to pray,” she said. “A lot of the time, that’s all you can do. But knowing I had that support was key to my healing. Like I said, I’m blessed.”
