Erin Schutte Wadzinski’s story was supposed to be about a woman who beat breast cancer.
After a year of intense treatment for triple negative stage IIIC breast cancer, including chemotherapy, surgery, radiation and participation in a cutting-edge clinical trial, Erin was finally feeling optimistic about the future. Her scans and lab results were good. Her hair was growing back. She rang the bell — a treasured tradition symbolizing the completion of treatment — in March. And, she was looking forward to being the featured survivor at the 2026 Big Stars & Pink Guitars, an annual event to benefit patients at the Edith Sanford Breast Center in Sioux Falls.
Then, everything changed.
Tests revealed active cancer cells in her body and a follow-up PET scan showed a concerning spot near her pelvis. A biopsy in early April revealed the devastating news that Erin’s cancer fight is not yet over.
Anyone else in Erin’s shoes might have given in to the heartbreak, the frustration and the fear of what’s next.
But Erin Schutte Wadzinski is not just anyone. She is a fighter.
As an immigration attorney in Worthington, Minnesota, Erin has dedicated her career to fighting for those who cannot fight for themselves.
“I represent the underdog,” she said. “When a client comes to me afraid that they don’t have any good options, I listen and I ask questions and search for something we can try. I always say, ‘you can’t win if you don’t fight.’”
Now, Erin is ready to apply that same fighting spirit to her own situation.
“I have a lot of fight left in me. I am strong and I’ll continue battling this for as long as I can,” she said.
With the team at the Edith Sanford Breast Center behind her, she’ll continue to have the support she’ll need, every step of the way.
Erin’s First Fight
It was January 2025 when Erin, then age 35, first noticed “something that felt like a pebble in my armpit.”
After a series of tests, she received her breast cancer diagnosis and met with Dr. Allison Watson, an oncologist at the Edith Sanford Breast Center.
“My whole world changed,” she said.
Over the next year, Erin navigated 29 rounds of chemo, surgery and radiation — all while continuing to serve clients at her law practice. Beyond her surgery and radiation in Minnesota, she received care in Sioux Falls and in her hometown at the Sanford Worthington Cancer Center.
“I want to give a shout-out to the infusion center in Worthington — it’s a fantastic team,” she said.
More Than a Patient
Throughout her treatment journey, Erin said Dr. Watson has been a constant source of support.
“She’s has been my primary physician through all of it,” Erin said. “I trust her immensely.”
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Here, I’m not just a patient. I’m a person. Dr. Watson treats me the way she’d want to be treated if she was a patient. She goes above and beyond to consider all options and any opportunities I might have. She pushes the envelope on the standard of care and does everything in her power to get as much data as possible to make the best decisions on my unique and specialized treatment plan.
Erin’s case is unique because, even with intense treatment and surgery, test results continued to show she faces a high likelihood of recurrence.
“At that point right after surgery, Dr. Watson asked me how I felt about clinical trials,” Erin said. “It was because of her that I was able to get into this trial. I would’ve flown anywhere and gone anywhere to get into a clinical trial. The fact that I could get into one at Sanford within driving distance was amazing.”
In September 2025, Erin began a six-month clinical trial focused on circulating cancer cells. In December, she received the news she was hoping for.
“As part of the trial, I had regular blood tests to measure the circulating cancer tumor DNA in my system. In December, the blood test came back negative. It showed no cancer tumor DNA in my body,” Erin said.
“That was one of the best days of my life — up there with my husband proposing to me and the birth of my daughter. We were on vacation. That night, we went to a Backstreet Boys concert and we all just rocked out. It was so freeing. This was what I was striving for.”
Erin said her subsequent CT and bone scans also came back clear.
“All the signs were saying this treatment is working,” she said. “I was cancer-free.”
On January 3, 2026, Erin shared her journey with friends on Facebook writing, “I’ve been doing full court press on this cancer since day one. And finally, I see some light at the end of a dark tunnel.”
But cancer, Erin would soon learn, had other plans.
The Next Battle Begins
March 17, 2026, was a big day for Erin.
She went to the Edith Sanford Breast Center to submit more bloodwork as part of ongoing monitoring. She rang the bell alongside her husband, Tyler, and her daughter, Anneliese. And, she shared parts of her journey with members of the Sanford Health Foundation team who were at the center capturing video for the upcoming Big Stars & Pink Guitars event.
After learning more about the event, Erin agreed to serve as this year’s featured survivor and volunteered to share her journey to help raise awareness for the Edith Sanford Breast Center.
She hoped she would remain on this uplifting trajectory.
“On March 24, my blood test came back positive,” Erin said. “This was what I was hoping I’d never see.”
After a follow-up PET scan showed a concerning spot near her pelvis, doctors ordered a biopsy. Erin received those results on the morning of April 10 — shortly before she was scheduled to sit down for a planned interview with the Foundation about her breast cancer journey.
Anyone else might have canceled the interview and chosen not to share her story. But not Erin.
“I’ve been through a lot, but I have a lot of fight left in me,” she said. “Dr. Watson thinks we can get this with radiation, although there is concern where else it might show up. But, she’s ready to play full court press with me again and I appreciate that she’s willing to play this game aggressively.”
Because for Erin, there’s so much that’s worth fighting for.
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I want to be on this earth because I want my daughter to have her mother. My clients have so much courage — I want them to have their attorney. I want my husband to have his wife. I have a lot of purpose.
For the team at the Sanford Health Foundation, Erin’s story illustrates why support for breast cancer care and research is so critical.
“We are beyond grateful to Erin for bravely sharing her journey with us, especially given the fact that her story has taken an unexpected turn. But in being vulnerable and sharing the painful realities of cancer, Erin continues to do what she’s always done — she continues to fight for others,” said Erin Sanderson, vice president for the Sanford Health Foundation in Sioux Falls. “What an incredible thing to witness.”
“Erin’s story is the reality of breast cancer. This is a disease that doesn’t care where we live, how old we are, what we do professionally, or who is counting on us. It doesn’t care that we think we’ve won the battle. It is sly and sneaky and devastating whenever and however it strikes,” she said.
“That’s why community support matters. Every gift brings us closer to new treatments, new discoveries and new breakthroughs for the one in eight women who will face a breast cancer diagnosis during their lifetime. Every gift makes a difference for patients like Erin who deserve a hopeful, healthy future.”
Give for Good. Give for Hope.
If you’re inspired by this story, give for local patients like Erin today. 100% of your gift will help patients and families at the Edith Sanford Breast Center by supporting lifesaving equipment like 3D mammography, vital services like nurse navigation, breast cancer research, direct patient assistance and more.