Douglas woman, a two-time breast cancer survivor, urges self-exams and early detection

DOUGLAS, Ga. (WALB) —Chequita Paulk, a two-time survivor of triple-negative breast cancer, said a self-exam found her cancer this year and urged others to get checked early.Paulk said she was first diagnosed in 2015 and was an 11-year survivor before being diagnosed again this year. She said she still has treatments ahead, including radiation that she said will probably start next month.Self-exams and early detectionPaulk said she knew nothing about early detection or self-exams until she turned 40. On her 40th birthday, Katoria King, a registered nurse whom Paulk called “my boo,” told her to start getting a mammogram once a year and to check herself every month, Paulk said. Paulk said King had her lie on her sofa and showed her how to do a self-exam. Paulk said King has since died.About six months later, Paulk said, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She said her breast hurt for more than a year before the cancer was found the first time, and mammograms came back negative.“Early de