Imagine a time when people cared less about breast cancer. A time when October was not filled with breast cancer walks and pink-themed events; where breast cancer incidence was lower, but so was its survival rate. It is this time in which Janet Beebe, 57, was diagnosed with breast cancer, 24 years ago.

Beebe, director of the Breast Cancer Survivor’s Network, became concerned when she was having difficulty breast feeding her, then, six-month old son. She told her doctor about the tiny lump in her breast and was told that it was a clogged milk duct. The doctor instructed her to put heat on it but when the lump didn’t go away, Beebe’s concern grew. Unfortunately, her doctor’s concern did not grow. “Doctors weren’t looking for breast cancer back then because not as many people were being diagnosed as they are today,” said Beebe.

However, Beebe sensed that the lump was a serious problem and asked to have it removed. Her request was met with great resistance and many surgeons would not do the procedure. Finally, a doctor at Atlanta Medical Center agreed to perform the lumpectomy. The lump turned out to be a cancerous tumor and had spread to her lymph nodes. This experience, while traumatic, launched the career of one Atlanta’s most ardent supporters in the battle against breast cancer.