Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman is getting back into the swing of things at the Capitol five weeks after undergoing a preventative double-mastectomy in December.
Coleman spoke with the Herald-Leader about her recent health challenges — including how she balanced the stress of her diagnosis with a demanding reelection campaign and the outpouring of support from women across Kentucky — during an interview in her Frankfort office Tuesday morning.
“It was kind of shocking to me, to know that this many women have gone through this,” the 41-year-old Coleman said. “Just the ones that I’ve heard from; imagine how many are really out there.
“But also it it made me feel better, because they reassured me, which was really nice, and I personally think that’s what they wanted to do. And I appreciate that, and I’ll never forget it.”
Coleman went for her first mammogram in September, and the results indicated she needed further testing.
With a mother, aunt and cousin who have all had breast cancer, Coleman knew she was at high-risk for the disease and had an inclination this could become serious.
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Additional screenings showed that Coleman had four lesions that her medical team said would need to be biopsied. Rather than risk subjecting herself to multiple surgeries, Coleman opted for a double-mastectomy as soon as possible.
“In my mind, I’m like, ‘I have a 3-year-old. I’m not gambling with this. I’m not taking my chances. I don’t have the time to do that every couple of months, and I don’t want to.’”
Coleman and Gov. Andy Beshear won reelection over Republican challengers in November and were sworn in for their second term on Dec. 12. That day marked the first time in Kentucky history that a woman took the oath of office as lieutenant governor for a second time.
The next Monday, Coleman had her surgery.
None of the four lesions were cancerous, but the spot that most concerned doctors came back as benign, but with the potential to become malignant.
“Regardless of what the pathology said, it made me feel better to do this,” she said. “But knowing that was just like, an exhale. Like, I feel like I beat the clock, and I feel like I made the right decision.”
Coleman attended her first official event post-surgery on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and is finally feeling like herself again. She hopes to continue advocating for women’s health and the need for preventative care.
“It’s amazing what one checkup or one appointment can do for you,” Coleman said. “And so every chance I get to sound that alarm, I’m going to.”
The Herald-Leader will have more from this one-on-one interview with Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman on kentucky.com Wednesday morning.