034: A 35 Year Marriage, Tested by Cancer | Monique & Dr. Eddie Cheeks

Breast cancer early detection saved Monique Cheeks' life. She was diagnosed with an aggressive form of triple negative breast cancer last November, caught at stage one because she never let vigilance slip after watching her mother and aunt go through the same disease. Her husband, Dr. Eddie Cheeks, has faced this disease before too, decades earlier, with someone else he loved. If you have ever needed a reason to schedule the mammogram you keep putting off, this is it.Katie Armentrout, founder of Peoplefluence and host of Think Outside the Boss, continues her Leading Through Cancer series with Monique Cheeks, CEO of the Cheeks Agency, and her husband of 35 years, Dr. Eddie Cheeks, a practicing OBGYN who is legally blind and recovering from a stroke. You will hear how Monique turned sixteen rounds of chemotherapy and twenty rounds of radiation into a ring the bell celebration with thirty guests, and how leadership in this marriage has moved in both directions long before her diagnosis. Get your mammogram scheduled, then go find out who is leading you through your next hard season.In this episode, you’ll discover:Why early detection made the difference for Monique, and how family history of breast cancer kept her vigilant about mammogramsHow triple negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms, was caught at stage one before it reached her lymph nodesWhy Monique refused to skip makeup or outfits for a single chemotherapy or radiation appointment, and how that choice became a mindset strategyHow Dr. Eddie Cheeks, legally blind and recovering from a stroke, became Monique's co-pilot for every treatment, after she had rehabbed him back to driving in five monthsWhat Monique's ring the bell celebration looked like, with thirty guests and the biggest ceremony her cancer center had ever seenWhy Dr. Cheeks believes there may be more prevention breakthroughs ahead for breast cancer, drawing a comparison to the cervical cancer vaccine (his own view, not a medical claim)Why Monique's advice, that you cannot want something for someone more than they want it for themselves, applies to leading a spouse, a client, or a team through any hard season We talk about:00:00 Why Dr. Eddie Cheeks became Monique's co-pilot through cancer05:46 Monique's triple negative breast cancer diagnosis08:00 Why she got dressed up for every chemotherapy appointment12:09 What facing this disease before taught Dr. Cheeks17:15 Her diagnosis to surgery timeline in four weeks21:28 How Monique rehabbed her husband back to driving after his stroke25:00 Inside her ring the bell celebration with 30 guests31:33 What breast cancer statistics have changed over the years33:38 Why cervical cancer gives hope for a future breast cancer vaccine39:28 What is the best advice Monique has ever received44:00 Their walk-on and ring the bell songsReady to lead through cancer, or any crisis, together? Get your mammogram scheduled, and follow along next week for part three of Leading Through Cancer with Katie's surgeon, Dr. Kathleen Raque. Connect with Katie at https://www.peoplefluence.com/newsletter-landing-pageipsahnqm.Resources:Eat Right for Your Blood Type https://link.amazon/B0bEMOMuj Connect with meInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/katie_armentroutYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@katiearmentroutLinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiearmentrout Newsletter: http://www.peoplefluence.com/newsletterWebsite: http://www.peoplefluence.com #ThinkOutsideTheBoss #LeadingThroughCancer #BreastCancerAwareness #EarlyDetectionSavesLives #TripleNegativeBreastCancer #CancerSurvivor #RingTheBell #CaregiverHusband #MarriageAndCancer #BreastCancerAwarenessMonth #WomenInLeadership #Peoplefluence #PodcastForLeaders #CancerJourney #HealthAdvocacy #MammogramMatters #KnowYourBody #StrongerTogether #LeadershipPodcast #HopeAndHealing