In February 2018, after having a mammogram for the first time in three or four years, Tammy Carlton (left) was diagnosed with breast cancer. When told she needed a double mastectomy, Tammy knew exactly who her surgeon would be: Dr. Kennan Buechter (right) with Bayou Bend Health System.

“Some people were telling me I really needed to go to Lafayette for the surgery, but I already knew about about Dr. Buechter’s strong reputation,” Tammy says. “My mother was diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer two years ago, and she chose Dr. Buechter to perform her mastectomy. Within a week, she was back mowing the yard. What I really like about Dr. Buechter is his bedside manner. He talks to you, not at you.”

Tammy had a mastectomy performed on one breast in late May followed by another on July 16. “After the first surgery, I had absolutely no pain, just like my mother,” Tammy says. “I was feeling so good, I could have gone home that same day. But I did stay overnight, and the nurses took wonderful care of me. Because of Dr. Buechter’s skill and the type of breast cancer I had, I didn’t need additional chemotherapy or radiology treatments. I’m just so happy I caught the cancer early. As Dr. Buechter said, I’m the perfect example of why scheduling a routine mammogram is so important.”