USA Health Magazine: Faith, grace & grit

By Jessica Jones
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This story was originally featured in the Fall 2025 edition of the USA Health magazine.

When Kristen Sayles, a 44-year-old elementary school counselor, discovered a lump during a self-exam in late 2023, she acted quickly — her family’s history of breast cancer left no room for hesitation. Within weeks, Kristen received a diagnosis that would change her life: triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease.

“I was driving when I got the call,” she said. “I cried the entire time. But in that moment, because of my faith, God just told me to do nothing. I wanted to call my husband, call my mom, and just everyone on my way home, and he said, ‘no, talk to me.’”

Sayles was referred to USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute (MCI) for treatment, the same facility that treated her grandmother during her own breast cancer battle.  

Her care team, including Ayesha Munir, M.D., medical oncologist; Spencer Liles, M.D., surgical oncologist; Wilma Baliem, ACNP-BC, nurse practitioner; and Wendy Laport, RN, BSN, breast nurse navigator, walked with her through 16 rounds of chemotherapy and a double mastectomy. The treatment pushed her body to its limits, but Sayles’ spirit always remained positive.

“There was a period of time when I couldn’t be around anyone because of my immune system being compromised. That was hard,” she shared. “And, losing my hair and breasts was emotional. I didn’t feel like myself. But I reminded myself, this was a step toward healing.”

Sayles credits her recovery not only to her medical team and treatments but also to the support services available at MCI. From meeting other cancer patients and participating in art therapy during her chemo sessions, to a resource room stocked with wigs, bras, lashes, and everything a patient could need when going through treatment, MCI helped meet both her physical and emotional needs.

“The Mitchell Cancer Institute helped me see the light at the end of the tunnel,” she said. “They led me in the direction that I needed to go to fight this fight with cancer. If it had not been for MCI and their team, I don’t know if I could’ve made it.”

Her husband, Ron Sayles, recalls the hardest part of their journey: watching his wife’s body decline during treatment. “Even when she was weak, she encouraged the rest of us,” he said. “She gave us courage when she was the one who needed it most. She turned breast cancer, something that is so detrimental, into something that seemed small because of her unwavering strength.”  

Their teenage daughter, Darrian Tyler, was just 14 when Sayles was diagnosed. As her mother battled cancer, Darrian faced a wave of change — starting high school and navigating it all internally. “I didn’t tell my friends. I didn’t want them to treat me differently,” she said. “But I’ll never forget my 8th-grade graduation. My mom couldn’t be around crowds, but she still found a way to be there for me.”  

The family leaned on faith and laughter to carry them through. “Even when we shaved Kristen’s head, we made it a moment we could laugh through,” her husband said. “We kept humor in our home. That helped more than we realized.”  

Today, Sayles is cancer-free and proudly calls herself a survivor. She rang the bell to mark the end of her treatment on Aug. 27, 2024. When asked what survivorship means to her, she said, “I made it. That’s what it means to me.”

To other women, Sayles offers a simple but powerful message: “Take care of yourself first. Don’t skip your screenings. Don’t wait.”

And to anyone going through cancer: “Lean on God and people. Everyone has a different story and experience, but no one should walk this road alone.” Sayles is a survivor, a mother, a counselor — and a testament that with faith, family, and community, even the toughest battles can be won. 

Addressing disparities, advancing research

By Lindsay Hughes
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Kristen Sayles’ story highlights the urgent need for more research on breast cancer, especially in populations that face higher risks. Black women, like Sayles, are more likely to be diagnosed at younger ages and with more aggressive forms of the disease, including triple- negative breast cancer (TNBC), which grows and spreads quickly  and is more likely to resist treatment.  

Researchers at the USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute and the Whiddon College of Medicine are working to better understand breast cancer and improve outcomes for all patients.  

Targeting tissue stiffness to improve treatment

Debanjan Chakroborty, Ph.D., is researching how the stiffness of breast cancer tissue — caused by a buildup of noncellular material called the extracellular matrix (ECM) — affects tumor growth and treatment response. His focus is on a protein called WNK1, found in fibroblasts that contribute to ECM buildup. By understanding WNK1’s role, his team hopes to develop therapies that make tumors more responsive to treatment.

Predicting recurrence through blood tests

Santanu Dasgupta, Ph.D., is exploring how changes in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) could help predict whether breast cancer will return or progress. His team is developing a blood-based test to detect these mutations early, with the goal of improving outcomes for patients with TNBC. A patent application has been submitted  for this detection method.

Targeting chemotherapy-resistant cells

Luis del Pozo-Yauner, M.D., Ph.D., is examining a group of cancer cells called polyploid giant cancer cells, often found in advanced or treated cancers. These cells can overproduce a protein called PERK, which may contribute to chemotherapy resistance. His research focuses on understanding this resistance, particularly in Black women with TNBC, and finding ways to counteract it.

Understanding nerve-cancer interactions

Simon Grelet, Ph.D., is studying how certain nerves interact with TNBC tumors. These interactions may influence how the cancer grows, spreads, or resists treatment. By identifying the genes involved in this nerve-cancer connection, his team hopes to develop targeted therapies to stop the cancer’s progression.

Blocking cancer’s spread through the lymphatic system

Chandrani Sarkar, Ph.D., is investigating how breast cancer might use the body’s lymphatic system to spread. Her research focuses on lymphangiogenesis — the growth of new lymphatic vessels — and how this process could help cancer cells travel. The goal is to develop therapies that block this pathway and prevent the disease from advancing.