KETTERING — A local breast cancer survivor is getting ready for special recognition by the Cincinnati Bengals at Sunday’s game.
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Heidi Siens was diagnosed with breast cancer in the fall of 2019 at the hospital she works at, Kettering Health-Cancer Center.
She underwent a double mastectomy and is still on a five-year course of treatment for it.
News Center 7’s Taylor Robertson spoke with Siens and she said her experience being treated at the hospital where she works only helped her better understand what patients needed.
Siens has two kids, and the diagnosis shook her and the entire family.
She also offered moms who may go through a cancer diagnosis this advice.
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“Just get the best health care that you can, always get a second opinion, and just really depend upon your faith and surround yourself with friends and family to help you, you can’t do it all,” Siens told Robertson. “I think we as moms, a lot of the time have the weight of the world on our shoulders, and this is really a time to reflect on who you can depend upon to help you.”
After the double mastectomy and many treatment appointments, Siens got to ring the cancer-free bell.
This Sunday at the NFL’s Crucial Catch Game, she will ring the Cincinnati Bengals’ cancer survivors bell along with nine other cancer survivors at halftime.
In addition, the Bengals chose Siens, a Bengals fan, to be their ‘Ruler of the Jungle,’ for Sunday’s home game against the Seattle Seahawks.
Robertson says she will oversee leading the Bengals’ chant for the entire Paycor Stadium crowd of around 65,000 right before kickoff.
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Siens said Kettering Health chose her to be the cover story for their recent Views Magazine that went to out of their employees.
When the Bengals heard her story, they reached out to her.
“I’ve had my own season tickets for about 31 years and followed them through many winning and losing seasons,” she said. “The Bengals just started doing the ‘Ruler of the Jungle’ like maybe in 2021. So, it’s kind of a new thing but just last home game, they had two Rulers of the Jungle, it was Chad Johnson and Boomer Esiason, who are two of my favorite players of all time and just to be a part of something so exciting and so big, I’m just honored.”
Siens told Robertson she is about a year and a half from being in remission and will continue her three-month checkups until she reaches that five-year cancer-free mark.
Cincinnati hosts Seattle at Paycor Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Kickoff is at 1 p.m. and will be televised here on Channel 7.
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