PENSACOLA, FL - Our Buddy Check Three segment runs each month to encourage women to "buddy up".

We want ladies to check in with a chosen buddy and remind each other every month to do regular self breast exams.

In today's segment, we meet two women who work together at the Ann L. Baroco Center at Sacred Heart Hospital -- a center for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer.

Both ladies spread the word about self exams and mammograms daily. Here are their stories.

Barbara Worthey is six months into her breast cancer battle.

Barbara Worthey, breast cancer survivor, "I'm not allowing cancer to do me, I'm doing the cancer. Able to work through the process, haven't missed a day."

Barbara spends her days scheduling patients for mammagrams at the Ann L. Baroco Center. If a lady wants to put off her exam Barbara, from experience, urges her to schedule as soon as possible.

Worthey, "If I would have come earlier, I wouldn't be going through half the battle now."

Last winter, Barbara noticed a pea sized lump in her breast. She put off seeing a doctor and forgot about it until it grew into the size of a pecan. By that time, she had her new job at the Baroco Center.

Worthey, "I just started here, God is good, He really knows how to order your steps."

Her lump was a stage two cancer spreading into her lymph nodes. She had a partial masectomy and will endure grueling rounds of chemo until february after that radiation may be in order.

Ann Baroco Center Receptionist Kathy Reynolds Has a lot in common with barbara - she too was 37-years old when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Kathy Reynolds, "She's got such a good attitude about things. She keeps plugging on and coming to work. And we're all like, gosh, I'd be flat on my back, but she keeps on going, she's an inspiration to us all."

And Kathy inspires Barbara. Kathy is a 14-year survivor now. A calm and gentle person, she's often a patient's first point of contact before an anxiety inducing exam or the next person they see after scary test results.

Reynolds, "You kinda play it by ear and some people like to talk about it, some really like to hold it in and often times just a hug will help 'em through it. I'll let 'em know, I was diagnosed, I had cancer and I'm okay, you get through it and everything's gonna be okay."

A message she often shares with barbara who is well on her way. This fall she proudly walked in the American Cancer Society Breast Cancer walk and literally preaches the importance of monthly self exams and yearly mammograms.

Worthey, "I share it with whoever will listen."

Buddy Check Ann L. Baroco Center