This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we’re honored to continue highlighting the incredible women of Royal American who have faced breast cancer with courage, grace, and unwavering strength.
Laura Long shared her story with us:
“NO cancer diagnosis should ever be considered minimal; however, my cancer story is about as minimal and miraculous as you can have.
In September 2018, I had decided to change doctors and get a complete physical examination. This included my very first mammogram (that’s correct, I had never had one before). The results, I had a small mass in my left breast. I was sent to a surgeon for a biopsy; when the results came back as Stage 0/ DCIS/ ER+ (Stage 0 – Ductal carcinoma in situ, estrogen positive) I was totally shocked. There has never been any breast cancer in my family.
On October 10, 2018 I was scheduled for surgery but as most of you know, Hurricane Michael changed many of our plans. So, in November 2018 I had surgery to remove the tumor, followed by six weeks of daily radiation treatments and five years of hormone blocker medication. Luckily for me, since the cancer tumor was stage 0, I did not need any chemotherapy. The surgeon and the oncologist stressed to me that it is almost unheard of to find a cancer tumor that early.
By the grace of God and listening to my body, my cancer journey was less radical when compared to most. Early detection is key; get those mammograms and self-check regularly. If something feels off, get checked!!”
Thank you to all of the women who allowed us to share their stories. We are thankful for your willingness to share!
As we enter the holiday season, it’s the perfect time to lend a helping hand in our communities. Did you know that if you’ve been working at Royal American for over a year, you’re eligible for 8 hours of Volunteer Time Off (VTO) annually? This is a great opportunity to support a cause close to your heart, give back, and make a meaningful impact.
Your VTO hours expire at the end of the year, so don’t let them go to waste! We encourage you to reach out to local organizations, shelters, food banks, and other community programs that need extra support during this busy time. Remember, all volunteer hours must be pre-approved by HR to qualify as VTO.
We would also love to feature your service on Dispatch and our company socials. Please send any photos you take to marketingrequests@royalamerican.com.
Let’s make this holiday season brighter by serving those around us!
Dave Kennedy, Director of Maintenance, delivered impressive news in a recent staff meeting regarding our NSPIRE inspection results. These inspections are no easy task — they are known for their detailed standards and high expectations across the industry.
While the industry average shows a 30% fail rate, our teams have far exceeded that benchmark. So far this year, we’ve had 22 inspections, and all but one received passing scores.
This accomplishment reflects the incredible effort, skill, and dedication of our maintenance teams across all properties. Thank you for your hard work and for continuing to uphold Royal American’s commitment to excellence.
