Crystal Lake cancer survivor unfurls Bear Down flag at Chicago Bears home opener
Advocate Health Care cancer survivor Julie Hermann was recognized as the Chicago Bears’ special guest during the Bear Down Flag Ceremony on Sunday, Sept. 8.
Advocate and the Bears invited Hermann, a Crystal Lake resident and patient at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington, to help unfurl the giant flag at Soldier Field during pregame introductions for the Bears’ home opener versus the Tennessee Titans.
She was joined on the field by her oldest son, Jack Hermann, before enjoying the game from the stands with the rest of her family.
Hermann, 51, is a wife and mother of two boys; she has a career as an analyst and serves as director of her church’s choir. Her journey with breast cancer began in September of 2023 when she noticed a lump in her armpit and figured it was a swollen lymph node from being sick.
Hermann has no family history of breast cancer and has always been diligent about getting her scheduled mammograms. She did a breast self-exam and didn’t find anything wrong, however, when she noticed the lump wasn’t going away, she made an appointment to see a doctor.
After talking with her obstetrician who found the lump concerning, Hermann was recommended to Dr. Barry Rosen, a breast surgeon at Advocate Health Care. Dr. Rosen arranged a same-day appointment and took a biopsy of the lump. Although Hermann’s mammogram did not detect cancer, after reviewing the results of her biopsy, Dr. Rosen diagnosed her with breast cancer.
“I honestly thought there couldn’t be anything wrong with me … now I tell my friends who do breast self-exams to check their armpits, too,” said Hermann. “If my story can help, I want to share it.”
Shortly after her diagnosis, Herman saw Dr. Sandeep Chunduri, an oncologist at Advocate Health Care, who confirmed she had Stage 3C triple-negative breast cancer and started her on a chemotherapy protocol. Dr. Chunduri also recommended DigniCap, a scalp cooling system that helps minimize hair loss from chemo.
“I’m so glad he recommended DigniCap to me. I did it for my kids; it made a big difference because I did not look as sick,” shared Hermann.
Following 16 rounds of chemo Hermann chose to have a double mastectomy and start breast reconstruction. The chemo was successful, and she recently began radiation therapy five days a week. Hermann looks forward to completing radiation so she can return to her job and continue living her life to the fullest.
“The nurses and staff at Advocate Good Shepherd were amazing. I cannot say enough good things about them. They were so loving, caring and respectful. While I was happy to be done with chemo, I was sad to leave them,” reflected Hermann. “Dr. Rosen and Dr. Chunduri were wonderful. I’m a very detail-oriented person and they always answered every question on my list and walked me through every step of the process.”
Hermann hopes her story will inspire others and serve as a reminder to see a doctor when something doesn’t seem right.
“I have met several breast cancer survivors throughout this process, and it’s so helpful,” shared Hermann. “If anyone needs someone to talk to, I will talk to them and help them through the process or just be a listening ear.”