‘I Chose to Face This Journey Head-On:’ Nikki’s Story

At 39, Nikki Montgomery of Williamsport was balancing the busy life of a single mother raising two teenagers. She was healthy, active, and focused on being present for her children until one morning at work, when something felt different.

Her breasts felt unusually engorged, a sensation she could only explain as post-delivery engorgement. When it happened again the next day, Nikki trusted her instincts. She performed a self-breast exam in the shower, and that’s when she felt a lump.

Without hesitation, Nikki called her ob-gyn for an appointment. Her doctor ordered a mammogram, and when the results required further investigation, doctors referred her to the Kathryn Candor Lundy Breast Health Center, part of UPMC Magee-Womens, located at UPMC Williamsport Divine Providence.

There, she met Mohammad Tahir, MD, breast surgeon, who scheduled a biopsy. A few days later, Nikki got the call: she had an early-stage, hormone-receptor-positive, invasive ductal breast cancer.

“Dr. Tahir was amazing,” says Nikki. “He explained that of all the breast cancers, this was one of the most treatable. That gave me hope.”

But Nikki was already in fight mode. “I have two kids to raise. I wasn’t going to let this take me down.” Though the initial treatment plan called for a lumpectomy, Nikki made the personal decision to undergo a double mastectomy. “I didn’t want to take any chances. I wanted to make sure I never had to face this again.”

In January 2024, Nikki had a same-day double mastectomy and breast reconstruction. Dr. Tahir performed her skin-sparing mastectomies, and Amitabha Mitra, MD, reconstructive plastic surgeon, performed the reconstruction in a coordinated procedure that made the long day feel a little less overwhelming.

From March to June, Nikki completed four preventative rounds of chemotherapy at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center in Williamsport.“ Abdalla Sholi, MD, medical oncologist, and the entire Hillman team were incredible,” she recalls.

“I walked into each treatment with a smile on my face. I chose to face this journey head-on.”

Her cancer was hormone-driven, and since she had been on birth control to manage menstrual issues, Dr. Natasha Alligood-Percoco, obgyn, removed her ovaries and fallopian tubes as added preventative steps.

Throughout treatment, Nikki kept showing up not just to appointments, but to life. She never missed her workouts, and more importantly, she never missed her kids’ sporting events. “I didn’t have a choice. I had to be there for them and for myself.”

Today, Nikki continues regular follow-ups with Dr. Tahir and Dr. Sholi.

“I’m blessed to have the two best doctors on my team. They made me feel heard, respected, and comforted. I was always part of the conversation.”

Her message to other women is clear: “Know your body. Trust your instincts. And always advocate for your own health.”

Nikki’s treatment and results may not be representative of similar cases.