Soldier thankful for how breast cancer changed the way she values life

Story by MaryTherese Griffin

Army Recovery Care Program

FALLS CHURCH, Va.- October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and Army Sgt. Kristen Shepherd is one of the newest advocates. The thirty-year-old human resources specialist is currently recovering at the Fort Stewart Soldier Recovery Unit after undergoing surgeries to remove breast cancer diagnosed in June of 2023.

“The only person in my family who had breast cancer was my grandmother, and she beat it. I had genetic testing, and I have no genes to show I am susceptible to breast cancer, so I don’t know where it came from.”

“I couldn’t believe it. It definitely threw me a curveball. I’m not gonna say I’m thankful that I have breast cancer, but I’m thankful for the experience because it makes me look at life differently now. It changed me a lot. I used to have a snappy attitude, and I still have it a little, but now I take things more slowly and focus on the important things.”

She is focused on regaining her health and caring for her twelve-year-old nephew. She says the assistance she has received in recovering from the SRU has been life-changing. “I have someone for everything on my team. If this SRU weren’t here, recovering would have been so difficult. There’s no way I could still do my job and recover from this breast cancer. I love this program.”

Shepherd found the comprehensive care given to each Soldier mind-blowing, admitting she knew nothing about this program until she needed it. “They did everything they could to ensure I had everything I needed. They helped me out with being able to stay put during chemo because I was immune compromised, so I didn’t have to go to formation, and Aerial Bailey, who is my recreation therapist, helped me try to find wigs; the folks at the SRU helped me through this process. The team at the SRU was like my family away from home.”

She had breast reconstruction about a month ago and hopes it’s her last surgery. She continues to work hard to recover and marvels at the myriad of ways she can do that. “I’ve been involved in adaptive reconditioning events, and the recreation therapists work with me to adjust because I can’t do things like lifting and pulling. I loved getting involved in meditation; it really cleared my mind.”

Sgt. Kristen Shepherd, an active-duty Soldier who made the commandant’s list and was last year’s Iron Soldier recipient, will not return to duty but holds the Army in high esteem for having her back during this trying time.

“As of now, I’m thinking of returning to school to get my master’s degree. If that doesn’t pan out, I will work with my Transition Coordinator to find a new career after the Army. Had I not been at the SRU, I wouldn’t have known what a TC was.”

She says she now advocates for Breast Cancer Awareness and the Army Recovery Care Program. She hopes Soldiers who may need an SRU will embrace the opportunity to focus on healing. “Let the team do their job. Don’t stress. Don’t bottle up anything. If you need something, say something because your team at the SRU is there to help you whether you return to duty or not. I will apply everything I learned in the SRU and the Army to my daily life.”