Jamie Milligan of Canfield, who continues her two-year battle against stage 4 breast cancer, holds a photograph of her daughter, Ava, 12. Milligan has been chosen as the beneficiary of proceeds that will be raised during an inaugural cornhole tournament Sunday at Boardman Park. Correspondent photo / Sean Barron

CANFIELD — Jamie Milligan continues to receive a series of varied treatments for her cancer, but she will probably tell you that her most powerful antidote comes from within.

“I try to see the silver lining in all of this, and I’ve met so many great people I wouldn’t have met otherwise,” the Canfield woman said recently, referring to the approach she’s adopted to cope with having been diagnosed in October 2017 with stage 4 breast cancer.

Suffice it to say that an additional silver lining for Milligan, 43, is that she has been selected as the recipient for proceeds to be raised in the first “Breast Cancer Apple Warrior Cornhole Tournament,” a fundraiser to help those with the disease. The inaugural event is set for noon to 4 p.m. Sunday at Boardman Park.

About the time she had a bilateral mastectomy, Milligan was told she was cancer-free. Nevertheless, “I still didn’t feel right, and I felt that something was wrong,” which led to two trips to the emergency room and three to a chiropractor within a month, she explained.

“My back was hurting so bad,” Milligan remembered. “I didn’t know it at the time, but the No. 1 place (breast cancer) goes if it spreads is to the spine.”

A few months after her diagnosis, she was unable to walk, so on Dec. 10, 2017, Milligan underwent an MRI, which revealed tumors on her spine, scapula and hip, she said.

“It was very emotional. My daughter was 10, and I hated for her to see me like that. It was hell. I couldn’t sleep from the constant worrying,” Milligan recalled.

Since her diagnosis, Milligan, who was a competitive bodybuilder, has undergone 12 surgeries, including two hip-replacement operations, because the cancer had spread to some of her bones.

In addition, she had a procedure done called a kyphoplasty, in which a special type of cement is injected into the affected vertebrae to create room for a balloon-like device used to administer the treatment. Milligan suffered two fractured vertebrae, she said.

Last month, she underwent a liver biopsy, partly to determine the next phase in her treatment regimen.

For her symptoms, Milligan receives regular chemotherapy treatments and has had eight rounds of radiation; she also sees a spine specialist every three months because of recurring back problems associated with the disease, she noted.

Many of her treatments also require extensive travel, often twice weekly, to and from the Stefanie Spielman Comprehensive Breast Care Center in Columbus. The center is the first of its kind in the Midwest to provide a full continuum of care from prevention and screening to detection, diagnosis, treatment and survivorship, according to its website.

Milligan has nothing but praise for the treatment she’s received, as well as how medical personnel there have helped her emotionally, she said.

“They call every day to check on me,” Milligan added. “The care is unbelievable.”

Of course, the news can be devastating for women and men who learn they have the disease, so it’s vital for them to stay proactive and, when necessary, seek second and third opinions regarding their condition, she said.

Even though stage 4 breast cancer has no known cure, it can be managed, she said, noting that in recent years, lots of money has been raised to fight the disease and treatments continue to evolve and improve with time.

Milligan’s diagnosis also produced some anger, partly because she ate well and exercised daily, and because she has no family history of cancer. The disease, however, also has caused her to reprioritize what she views as truly important and has helped her keep things in better perspective, Milligan said.

“My life now revolves around my daughter,” she said.

Milligan also expressed gratitude toward Michelle Apple, a friend who’s also a one-year breast-cancer survivor and who started the cornhole tournament fundraiser.

“She’s just a wonderful person. I feel so blessed she picked me,” Milligan said.

Despite whatever challenges lie ahead for Milligan, don’t look for her to surrender in the fight against breast cancer anytime soon.

“I refuse to give up; I refuse.”

news@tribtoday.com