When Cindy Jarrell stopped by The Human Bean for her usual coffee order in October 2023, she had no idea that day would change — and possibly save — her life.
"It felt like a miracle. The whole thing," Cindy reflects now, nearly two years later.
As a breast cancer survivor who had been getting annual mammograms for over two decades, Cindy knew the importance of early detection. But when she called to schedule her routine October appointment, she hit a roadblock: the local breast center was completely booked until December.
This was challenging for two reasons — first, it would postpone her regular screening. Also, Cindy had recently been laid off and was relying on COBRA insurance that would expire on December 1st.
A Chance Meeting
That's when fate intervened at The Human Bean drive-thru.
Cindy visited The Human Bean during Coffee for a Cure — a day when all food and beverage proceeds are donated to local breast cancer foundations. Volunteers from Providence's Breast Center were on-site raising awareness, including mammographer Susan Aupperle and her team.
When the volunteers recognized Cindy in line, she mentioned her scheduling dilemma. Susan immediately understood the urgency — not just because of the insurance deadline, but also because Cindy was a previous cancer survivor.
"She said, 'Aren't you a survivor?', and I said, 'Yeah, that's why I see you once a year,'" Cindy recalls. "She said, 'Oh no, well that's not good, let me take care of it.'"
True to her word, Susan coordinated with her scheduling team to make the seemingly impossible happen. Staff members even came in on their day off to accommodate Cindy's appointment — getting her in within just a few days.
Early Detection Made All the Difference
The mammogram revealed microcalcifications — tiny calcium deposits that can be an early warning sign of breast cancer. For Cindy, it was a critical discovery.
"It wasn't even tumor stage yet – it was the little calcification of cells before," she explains. "But it was cancer. An aggressive one."
What followed was a whirlwind of carefully coordinated care. Additional imaging. A biopsy. Surgery with Dr. O'Neil in Ashland, Oregon, who also fit her into an already-packed schedule. By November 30th — the very last day of her insurance coverage — Cindy had completed the necessary treatment.
Because the cancer was caught so early, she avoided chemotherapy and radiation entirely.
Cindy sometimes wonders about the alternative timeline — the one where she waited until December, when her insurance had already expired. The one where an aggressive cancer had more time to grow.
"With it being aggressive, who knows how far it would have gone and how fast. What if I just wouldn't have gone in?"
A Message of Hope and Encouragement
Now, Cindy is passionate about encouraging other women to prioritize their breast health, even when fear holds them back.
"I get it," she says to women who feel anxious about scheduling a mammogram. "But when you go in, it's all women, they're super gentle, and they make it so that it's not embarrassing. It doesn't hurt like you think it's going to hurt, and it lasts a second."
For her, the math is simple: mammograms have now saved her life twice.
Her first diagnosis came at age 35, when she noticed persistent symptoms that led to discovering Stage 3 breast cancer. Over twenty years later, routine screening caught her second cancer before it became life-threatening.
"I always went in for my mammograms. I went in for twenty years, and I was almost 24 years out from the first time [I had breast cancer], so I almost wasn't even worried about it anymore," she admits. But she never stopped going — and that vigilance made the difference.
The Ripple Effect of Coffee for a Cure
Since 2005, The Human Bean's Coffee for a Cure program has raised more than $4.2 million to support patients with mammograms, post-diagnosis care, and breast cancer education. This year's 20th anniversary event takes place on Friday, October 17th.
"Every cup served on this day will support women who need access to early detection and care,” shares Rhonda Hawkins, co-founder of The Human Bean. “We're grateful to our customers, franchise partners, and people like Cindy who come together to give this event so much meaning year after year."
For Cindy, the event represents something even bigger than fundraising. It's about creating moments of connection that can literally save lives.
As for her go-to order? A Pumpkin Snowy or an Eggnog Chai — small comforts that led to an extraordinary outcome.
This October 17th, when you stop by The Human Bean for Coffee for a Cure, we hope you’ll remember Cindy's story of hope and recovery. Your purchase supports early detection programs that can catch cancer when it's most treatable.
“Even if it’s crowded,” encourages Cindy. “It’s just worth it, especially since you’re going to be able to help someone who needs it.”