My battle began in 2005 with stage 1b breast cancer. At that time I had a lumpectomy, chemo, and 37 rounds of radiation treatment. In late 2011, I tested BRCA 1 positive and had a preventative double mastectomy with reconstruction and a hysterectomy. Sixteen years later, I still see my …
Read More »Rosie’s Story (Stage 4 Breast Cancer/Lymphoma)
I was diagnosed in 2013. It started with a knot on my right shoulder and it was a whole year before I even went to get it checked out. It was just painful and heavy, but I never knew that it could be cancer. I got a call from my …
Read More »Katharine’s Story (Peritoneal Cancer)
I started to notice weight gain about a year before my diagnosis, which was April 23 2019. I was 42 years old at the time. I was bloated, wasn’t able to defecate, not able to burp or even pass gas, I would also speak and often lose my breath within …
Read More »Jill’s Story (Breast Cancer- Stage 1A IDC)
I was diagnosed with breast cancer in June of this year, 2020. The tumor was found by mammogram. Thank God for those! I had surgery at the end of July. Thankfully the tumor was completely removed and the lymph nodes they removed tested negative. I was told I am HER2+ …
Read More »Elaina’s Story (Aortic Aneurysm)
I am an aortic aneurysm survivor. I have struggled with chronic pain and various conditions related to an undiagnosed form of connective tissue disorder, which also included an aortic aneurysm that has been monitored since I was eight. When I was 14 years old, I started having mysterious back pain …
Read More »Shannon’s Story (Breast Cancer – IDC)
I was 33 years old when I found my lump. The doctors would not listen to me. Finally, they did listen and I found out it was hormone driven breast cancer. I then had 6 rounds of chemo and 5 years of hormone treatment. I am now 44 years old …
Read More »Christine’s Story (Leukemia)
What did I do wrong? Why does my life always get f****d over? Why is it that all my dreams always fall to pieces? All these thoughts ran rapidly through my head as the glass bottle containing my special dried flowers crashed to the floor of my bedroom. Memories can …
Read More »Shay’s Story (Breast Cancer-Lobular Carcinoma)
Turning 40 usually means planning that special getaway with old friends and making a bucket list for the next decade or so. Well, a few months into being 40, I was actually planning how to survive and live to see my kids go through college. Lobular ‘Sneaky Cancer’ attacked my …
Read More »Aimee’s Story (Breast Cancer)
You know that knowledge that you have from family history of cancer? Mine was due to my grandma passing away from breast cancer and my mother being a breast cancer survivor for 25 years. A cousin passed away from breast and ovarian cancer, and numerous family members either had BARD1 …
Read More »Monique’s Story (Breast Cancer)
In 2010, at the age of 38, I was diagnosed with Stage 3 Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC); which included a 12 cm tumor that had gone through to my skin. I was told it would probably spread, and that I most likely had 2-5 years to live. However, as the …
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