Katzmann Art Mandie Finley

As a high school student in Audubon, Iowa, Mandie Finley loved art class, and the joy of creating something unique. 

“I’ve always been passionate about art,” she remembers fondly. 

As an adult, though, she set aside her creative passion to help cultivate her kids’ interests (she and her husband, Chris, have a blended family with four children who are now in their teens and 20s).

That changed when she was diagnosed with aggressive Stage 3 breast cancer, Grade 3 and HER-2 positive. It was the spring of 2019, and Mandie was just 46.

“When I was faced with the possibility of my own mortality, I decided I wanted to do something just for myself,” she says. 

That focus on self-care and a return to art led to her giving her doctor an original painting now on display at the Katzmann Breast Care center, which is proud to feature several pieces of stunning original art created and donated by patients. 

An abstract acrylic that represents her cancer journey and the care she received, it features vibrant colors set off by darker tones and the words Caring, Love, Family, Beauty, and Life, each in a different color. The words represent the personalized care her doctor provides to each patient she serves. 

“When I gave it to Dr. Torstenson after my surgery, she told me it was just beautiful,” Mandie says. “I thought she’d put it in her office or maybe take it home. I’m so honored to see it on display for everyone!”

Mandie’s cancer journey began when she went to her family doctor with shoulder pain. She was quickly referred for a mammogram and MRI, then to Tiffany Torstenson, D.O., a MercyOne surgeon who specializes in breast surgery. When a biopsy and testing revealed that she had invasive and aggressive cancer, Mandie knew she was in for the fight of her life.

“I sat down with all the kids and had that talk and explained that it was Stage 3 and the odds were not in my favor—that was so tough,” she says. 

After undergoing more than five months of intense chemotherapy, which included Adriamycin, dubbed “the red devil” because the solution is so strong, Mandie returned for more scans. Amazingly, they showed a complete response to the treatment and no evidence of disease. Rather than the breast reconstruction she had expected, she was able to have outpatient surgery to remove only the damaged breast tissue and surrounding lymph nodes. She followed the surgery with a course of daily radiation treatments.

“Cancer is scary, and finding out mine was Stage 3 was like sliding headfirst into home plate,” Mandie says. “Dr. T. did such a great job of explaining the different stages and grades of cancer, the genetic testing, and my treatment plan, and made sure I had a good grasp of everything. She’s not only organized and efficient, she’s so caring and genuinely interested in me as a person. 

“Talking to her is truly calming and soothing. Her whole team is really focused on the needs and health of their patients. And knowing you have a great team on your side really helps. I would recommend them to anyone.”

Mandie also credits her husband, Chris, and their family for all their support during her treatment and recovery. 

“When I first told Chris, I said, ‘You can’t fight this fight for me—I have to do this myself.’ He said, ‘Okay, so how do I help? Chris took on the laundry, cleaning, and cooking meals, and started going to my treatments with me too,” she says. 

“I’m so fortunate that the worst side effect I got, other than losing my hair, was blisters on my feet. He and the kids gave me the care and space to focus on what I needed, and that made such a big difference.”