A woman full of life, Tiffney Lane works as a quality-of-life director, is a wife, mother of three “amazing” children, and is now a breast cancer survivor with an inspiring story to tell.

She says that while hearing the word “cancer” initially filled her with fear, she kept her focus on the “right now.”

She put her faith in her health care team and in God, believing whatever it was, she’d get through it.

“I had no other choice but to persevere,” she says. “And I had the best doctors.”

A life shift

When Tiffney first had some telltale symptoms of breast cancer in 2022, she saw her OB-GYN, had a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test, and ultimately, a biopsy. Diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a noninvasive, stage 0 breast cancer, she was referred to surgical oncologist Krista Bott, MD, with Lehigh Valley Topper Cancer Institute, part of Jefferson Health.

“DCIS is breast cancer that grows in the milk ducts,” Dr. Bott says, noting the cancer was in Tiffney’s left breast. “Sometimes, [as in Tiffney’s case] it can extend ‘down the tube’ of the milk duct and involve a wider area.”

The recommendation was surgery first, followed by treatments to reduce the risk for recurrence.

Chemotherapy was not needed because of the absence of invasive cancer. Tiffney had the option of a lumpectomy where the nipple and areola are removed, or a mastectomy (removal of the entire breast). Both options offer equivalent survival rates and are equal as far as treating cancer.

“Dr. Bott gave me the facts and let me know there were no guarantees about cancer occurring in the right breast,” Tiffney says. “She let me make the decision myself and gave me the time to do it.”

Choosing to have a mastectomy with reconstruction, she consulted Randolph Wojcik, MD, Chief, Division of Plastic Surgery, Lehigh Valley Institute for Surgical Excellence, part of Jefferson Health. Reviewing all reconstruction choices with the team, Tiffney opted for, and successfully received, gel implants in 2025.

Grateful for great care

Today, Tiffney is “doing great, cancer-free,” Dr. Bott says. “We will continue to watch her, but she is at a very low risk for recurrence.”

Dr. Wojcik emphasizes that there’s more to cancer than physical recovery. “After 20-plus years, I’ve found addressing the mental side of the disease — along with strong support and positivity — leads to better outcomes,” he says. This rang true for Tiffney.

“When I was going through this, I started setting a 12:30 p.m. grateful alarm every day,” she says. “I would force myself to find something to be grateful about. The alarm, which I still set today, helped me find some joy.”

Tiffney says her recovery — both physical and emotional — was guided by her excellent care and a simple question: “Life is not always going be the way you like, but what are you going to do with it?”

Learn about cancer care at LVHN.org/cancer.