Rita Matocha is currently battling breast cancer and has been showered with love from the community to relieve some of the stress from the disease.
Matocha first discovered she should be concerned during her self-exam at the first of May.
She was slightly concerned in April when noticing a slight change in her nipple but by May, there was a noticeable inverted change that caused her to seek medical assistance. The breast cancer was very fast growing and the only noticable change was her nipple structure.
“You could feel a little bit of hardness in the breast but there was no definitive mass that could be felt,” said Matocha.
On June 6, she received scans that determined she had Lobular Invasive Carcinoma in her left breast. There was a mass in the breast but it was deep within the tissue.
She’s been receiving a large dose of chemo over a six-week period and has now elected to have a double mastectomy in four to six weeks; in hopes of never going through this again.
If she is following the mastectomy, there won’t be any radiation but will have to complete another six treatments that should be over by June 2021. She’s also made plans to have reconstructive surgery.
“Everyone, I don’t care how old you are, should do your self exams and have your exams done at your gynecologists,” said Matocha. “There is no family history of breast cancer for me and unless I had signs, I would not have known. It did not show up on my Mammogram or Ultrasound. I’ve been very faithful with my mammograms and it never showed up.”
The doctors are very optimistic about her recovery and the shrinkage of the cancer from chemo treatments.
When she spoke with the doctors about the chances of it coming back in the other breast, they explained it most likely wouldn’t be the same type in the other breast if it returned, she didn’t want to take any chances in having to go through treatments again and elected to have the double mastectomy.
“The support that I have had from my family, husband, children and everybody has been unreal,” she said. “They have gone above and beyond what they needed to do. My girls just drop what they are doing to help Tim and I have what we need. They take care of us. My friends and church family and community itself have reached out to me.”
Matocha was the recipient of the Crockett for a Cure fundraiser held by local boutiques. A Shrimp Boil fundraiser was also held at Alamo First Christian Church on Saturday, October 10 where over 250 pounds of shrimp were sold.
Rita’s husband Tim sat in the vehicle with her while she waved and spoke with community members through the window. Occassionally she would hold up a sign letting people know she could visit but couldn’t roll her window down to come in contact with anyone, per the doctors orders.
Her family and friends worked hard through the cold rain to cook and serve the shrimp boil while she enjoyed everyone’s company from a distance.
Her daughters Katie Mansfield and Jessie Lucky, son-in-law Keenan Lucky, Amber and Chris Carmichael and Mary Ann, Jeff and Jack Shaver and Anna Brasfield all worked together cooking and serving food.
“I can’t thank the people of Crockett County enough, I don’t know how I ever would,” said Rita. “These medical bills aren’t cheap and every little helps. This was just overwhelming and winning the Crockett for a Cure too. There are just so many people to thank. I was so overwhelmed Saturday seeing everyone and just thought it was unbelievable. This community really steps up and beyond when someone is in need. They are just going to take care of you.”
