Breast cancer patient finds healing with hyperbaric oxygen therapy

Jessenia Mejia was only thirty years old when she was first diagnosed with breast cancer.

It started in a moment of innocence. While changing her son, the baby issued a playful kick that landed on Jessenia’s chest. But when the area was still painful several days later, she knew something was wrong. After several tests, the doctors revealed she had a tumor and immediately began treatment. “That kick saved my life,” Jessenia states.

The Brentwood resident underwent both surgery and radiation treatments. And though she now lives cancer free, it was not without some difficult side effects at first. “After surgery, my wound wasn’t healing correctly,” Jessenia explains. “The doctors were very concerned and recommended hyperbaric oxygen (HBO₂) therapy to speed up the healing process.”

Jessenia was referred to the Center for Hyperbaric Medicine & Wound Healing at St. Catherine of Siena Hospital. Though trying something new initially gave her concern, she was immediately put at ease by the team there. “I knew I was going to be okay just by the positive words, patience and kindness the staff had towards me and my husband,” she remembers.

“We see a lot of patients who come in after having breast reconstructive surgery. Often if they’ve had radiation therapy prior to their surgery, there are radiation burns that could potentially slow the natural healing process,” explains Dr. Joshua Bozek, Chief Medical Officer at St. Catherine of Siena Hospital. “Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has been very effective in regenerating cells and our patients who’ve had breast cancer have been doing particularly well with it. This often helps patients get back to their families and their everyday life much quicker.”

HBO₂ therapy is a medical treatment designed to enhance the body’s ability to heal. During HBO₂ therapy, the patient breathes 100% pure oxygen while inside a pressurized chamber. The pressure inside this chamber is about two and a half times greater than the normal pressure in the atmosphere. This high-pressure environment allows your blood to carry more oxygen to all parts of your body to repair injured tissue. HBO₂ therapy also helps to fight certain infections, such as those that occur in the bone and soft tissues.

Almost immediately, Jessenia began to see results. And after nearly forty treatments, her wound had completely healed. Today, she lives pain free thanks to the skilled team at the Center for Hyperbaric Medicine & Wound Healing at St. Catherine of Siena Hospital. And after such a dark journey, she appreciates time with her young family even more.

“When you’re battling cancer, you feel like the world might end, you feel lost, you feel like you may not make it,” Jessenia says. “However, I’m here telling my story and I recommend this treatment because I’m smiling and living my life like every other woman. You would never realize what I went through. From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank the staff there for the care I received. It truly made a difference.”