Mammogram tech to walk in Oaks Survivors Parade after cancer battle

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — A Louisville woman who helps detect breast cancer in others never expected to become a patient herself. Now, she is a survivor and will walk in the Kentucky Oaks Survivors Parade this year.

Tammy Whitt has given women mammograms at UofL Health for the last decade. She said she takes pride in the emotional bonds she forms with her patients.

“I just love that compassion I can just show to people,” Whitt said.

Because of her job, Whitt knew the importance of routine screenings and gets checked every year. But in 2023, during her annual mammogram, she felt like something was off as she looked at her images with the tech.

Shortly after, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Doctors initially believed the cancer was small, but during surgery, they found it was larger than expected.

"You're starting to relate with all of those patients you've done over the course of your career," Whitt said.

Three years later, Whitt said she is now doing well.

“I actually thank God that I went through it,” she said.

Whitt said her experience deepened her emotional connection with patients, because now, she can not only sympathize, but truly empathize.

She will walk the Churchill Downs racetrack in the Kentucky Oaks Survivors Parade Friday, surrounded by 150 other women who faced breast and ovarian cancer.

"I'm looking forward to meeting these amazing women, and I may even know some of them when I get there," Whitt said.

The parade’s charity partner is Horses and Hope, an initiative of the Kentucky Cancer Program focused on increasing cancer awareness, education, screening and treatment referrals among horse industry workers and their families.

Pam Temple with Horses and Hope said the program provides screenings to workers who might otherwise go without care.

"It was a gap in care because many of these women are traveling from horse racing to different locations, and they don’t have insurance — most of them don’t have insurance," Temple said.

Whitt’s message to others is simple: do not wait to get screened.

"Catching it early, it's very, very important to stay on top," she said.

The Survivor's Parade will start at 5:23 p.m. Friday, between the 9th and 10th races.

Click here for more details and a complete list of participants.