JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas –
A self-proclaimed extrovert, Mary McBride was feeling a bit discouraged by the long weeks of self-isolation due to COVID-19, especially on her 45th birthday recently.
While she’d planned a festive celebration of life to mark her cancer-free year, due to the pandemic, McBride downgraded her plans to a socially distanced virtual call with a few friends.
McBride’s care team at Brooke Army Medical Center, however, had a few plans of their own. They organized a surprise drive-by birthday parade that caught this cancer survivor completely off guard.
“I wanted to bring a little joy to Mary on her birthday,” said Bianca Rodriguez, BAMC breast nurse navigator. “When you are a cancer survivor, celebrating life events, such as a birthday, is huge. It’s another year, but it’s something many of us take for granted.”
On April 25, McBride was in her room relaxing when she heard dozens of cars honking outside. “My mom called me out of my room and I rushed outside,” she said. “That’s when I saw all of the cars.”
With a hot pink hat perched on her head, McBride and her mom, Debbie, watched as a parade of more than 30 cars circled their cul-de-sac as drivers called out birthday wishes and waved balloons, signs and streamers. From next door, McBride’s neighbor shouted over, “You have a lot of friends!”
“I saw people from the clinic and across the hospital; people that didn’t even know me. The cars kept on going,” she said. “My mom and I were both in tears.”
The size of the parade even took the organizer by surprise. Rodriguez had thought of the idea just a few days earlier, simply hoping to brighten up McBride’s day during a challenging time for her patients by inviting a few colleagues to safely pass on birthday wishes.
“The isolation has been difficult for my patients,” said Rodriguez, who aids breast cancer patients and their caregivers through their treatment and recovery journey. “I get emails every day with questions and concerns, and I do my best to help.”
While the parade started out small, thanks to her broad network and the help of a few friends, word quickly spread across the hospital and the turnout was beyond Rodriguez’s expectations. “So many healthcare professionals gave the gift of time over the weekend,” she said. “For these extremely busy providers and leaders, there’s no greater gift they could have given at this challenging time.”
It was a well-deserved gift, Rodriguez noted, especially in light of this two-time breast cancer survivor’s journey over the past few years.
McBride was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017 after a routine mammogram. As she sat in the waiting area, she knew something was wrong.
“The staff was acting differently,” she said. “But because of my faith and prayer, as I silently rolled back to the ultrasound room, I said to God, ‘How do you want me to handle this?’ and I very audibly heard God say to me, ‘Handle it like you’ve always handled it and be my witness through it.’”
While caught in the early stages, her providers recommended she have a mastectomy due to health issues preventing a more minor procedure. Born with spina bifida and hydrocephalus, McBride also suffered a stroke that left her wheelchair-bound and unable to tolerate radiation treatment for her cancer.
McBride’s mastectomy was successful. It wasn’t until a routine mammogram in 2018 that she received the news she had been dreading. “I found out that I now had cancer in my other breast,” she said. “Still, I felt fortunate that it was again caught early.”
McBride underwent a lumpectomy and has been cancer-free since 2018.
“When Mary had her second cancer scare, I recall thinking, ‘Why Mary?’” Rodriguez said. “She’s such a beautiful, positive human being and has been through so much. But cancer is never fair and it doesn’t discriminate.”
McBride attributes her positive outlook to her faith and to her care team. “Every clinic and provider has gone above and beyond for me,” she said. “The care is exceptional.”
Her mom, Debbie, also noted her gratitude for the “top-notch” care they’ve received BAMC. “We were guided every step of the way by Bianca,” she said. And shout outs to every person who worked with Mary in every clinic!”
Rodriguez agrees. “Part of the reason I do what I do is because of the providers I work with,” she said. “They are the most amazing, passionate people you will ever meet. The fact that they took time out from their weekend to support Mary … I feel immense gratitude.”
McBride hopes to gather with her family and friends in person next year, but she’ll never forget her 45th birthday, she said.
“It meant the world to me,” she said. “My heart just swelled with even more love for BAMC.”