A South Florida woman who beat breast cancer and a local surgeon are sounding the alarm about the importance of doing self-exams on a regular basis. Isabel Neyra spoke Friday at an event held at HCA Florida Kendall Hospital where she shared what was the key in helping her combat the disease. Neyra said she was only 22 when she felt a small lump in her breast. Due to her concern, she went to her doctor. “After the examination, he ordered me an ultrasound, followed by a mammogram, and lastly the biopsy, which confirmed the diagnosis of cancer,” said Neyra. “When I heard those words, ‘You have cancer,’ I felt like everything around me faded into the background.” Neyra said it took several surgeries, more than 15 chemotherapy treatments and 35 radiation sessions before she entered remission. A few years after her diagnosis, Neyra said she’s feeling top-notch. However, doctors still have her under observation. Her doctors said it would take another five years before they could declare her cancer-free. Doctors at HCA Florida Kendall Hospital work with breast cancer patients every step of the way, from diagnosis to treatment and hopefully remission. Neyra’s doctors said catching early signs is key. “Early detection of breast cancer through self-breast examinations and annual mammograms help save lives,” said Dr. Braulio Sabates, a general surgeoon at HCA Florida Kendall Hospital. “We get cancer early on, as we hope to, we have many more treatment options and a much better chance of curing the patients of their breast cancer.” Another woman, 34-year-old preschool teacher Andreina Lopez, discovered a lump when she did a routine breast self-exam. Pictures of her shared by the hospital show her ringing the bell. She is also one of millions of women who battle breast cancer every year. Sabates said Breast Cancer Awareness Month shouldn’t just be limited to October. “We use October to emphasize it, but it should be every month. Every woman should be performing self-breast exams every month,” said Sabates. If you’re eligible for imaging studies like mammograms, make sure you’re getting them every year, and just consult with your doctor if you feel something’s wrong.” Neyra said that after everything she went through, she’s using her experience to propel her career forward by studying to become a family medicine practitioner. “After that, I just wanted to keep moving forward, so I decided to join the master’s program for [family medicine],” she said. “That’s what I’m currently doing right now, and I’ll be done in a year. Hopefully, I wanted to work with Dr. Sabates.” The American Cancer Society estimates that one in eight women in the U.S. will develop breast cancer in their lifetime.