Father-daughter duo shares experience of battling breast cancer

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - A Pine Belt father-daughter pair spoke at Southern Oaks Thursday and discussed their battle with breast cancer only two years apart.

At a young age, Carla Carruth Tigner said she experienced the hospital quite frequently when her mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at 44.

Carla said she never thought her children would have to go through that after her diagnosis with breast cancer at 42.

"It was invasive, by the time it had gone into my lymph nodes I had a fully year of treatments and surgeries" said Carla.

Only two years after her diagnosis with Stage 3 breast cancer, her father, Paul Ott was diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer too.

Paul said, "She reached over and elbowed my breast and it hurt." He added, "She said oh daddy, you do not have breast cancer."

"Then I felt a lump and the next day I went and did a mammogram, and they did a biopsy to the breast and found out I did have breast cancer" said Paul.

Although they lost a wife and mother, their experience was not going to tear them apart. "When I was going though my chemo, my dad whenever he could he would take my to Jackson and sit with me" said Carla.

Carla continued, "When he got it, I thought you do not have to go through that and he did not, thank God."

Paul said he caught the cancer early enough to remove his left breast. However, after 10 years or remission, just this past June, Paul experienced back pain for something completely different.

"On my MRI, by the grace of God they found spots on my spine" said Paul. He was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, but is currently receiving treatment.

"100% to 97% remission that I am getting now" said Paul.

"I did10 rounds of radiation on the spine, and now I am doing a chemo shot once a week in Jackson" added Paul.

He said, "I will see my Oncologist for the blood work and hopefully we will be in remission."

Through it all the duo finds a silver lining and continues to share their story and encourage people to have self-breast examinations.

"He has been a wonderful father, and then a great example of my heavenly Father to me and I am so grateful for that" said Carla.

Paul said, "It is a blessing from God, but let me leave this thought, men check yourself for breast cancer because it happens more than you think."