How Hormone Replacement Therapy Helped Honey Feel Like Herself Again After Breast Cancer
When Honey, a talented artist from Tallahassee, Florida, discovered a lump in her breast, it wasn’t during a routine checkup — she hadn’t had a mammogram in 15 years. In fact, she wasn’t one to visit doctors at all. But something told her to pay attention, and she did. That gut instinct led to a breast cancer diagnosis on her birthday in 2020, which was a shock but also a moment of clarity. As a mom, wife, and creative professional, Honey immediately thought that she didn’t have time for this and took quick, decisive action.
Interviewed by: Taylor Scheib Edited by: Katrina Villareal
Honey opted for a bilateral mastectomy, skipping chemo and radiation because she felt strongly that they weren’t right for her. Her reconstruction process was full of surprises, from unexpectedly larger implants to feeling sidelined in decisions about her own body. Still, she handled the process with humor, especially during a hilarious family moment when her 98-year-old grandmother loudly asked about her new breast size. But it wasn’t all laughs. Honey felt unheard during the surgical process and wishes more women knew they could (and should) speak up more.
What Honey didn’t see coming was the long-term impact of surgical menopause after her oophorectomy. Doctors told her it was “no big deal” and necessary to reduce the chance of breast cancer returning. But what followed were debilitating symptoms: nerve pain, insomnia, arm tingling, weakness, and a misdiagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. Eventually, Honey connected the dots — her body was starved of hormones. She dove into research, discovering thought leaders and the benefits of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for breast cancer survivors.
Although it took time and persistence, Honey found a local doctor willing to prescribe HRT. That decision changed everything. Her pain subsided, her energy returned, and she felt like herself again — creative, vibrant, and empowered. Now, Honey urges others to question recommendations, understand available treatment options, and advocate fiercely. She believes that doctors often stay in their lane, and it’s up to patients to see the whole picture.
Honey’s story isn’t just about surviving breast cancer; it’s about reclaiming her health, her identity, and her joy. She encourages others not to be silenced, not to feel guilt, and to forgive themselves for what they didn’t know at the time. With hope, gratitude, and light, she continues to paint and share her truth.
Watch Honey’s video to find out more about her story:
Discover how her intuition led to a life-changing diagnosis on her birthday.
Why Honey said “no” to chemo and radiation, and what she did instead.
The surprising truth she uncovered about oophorectomies and hormone loss.
What no one tells you about breast reconstruction and how Honey handled it.
How hormone replacement therapy gave Honey her energy, art, and identity back.
Name: Honey H.
Age at Diagnosis:
48
Diagnosis:
Breast Cancer
HER2-, PR+, ER+
Staging:
Stage 2
Symptom:
Lump in the right breast
Treatments:
Surgeries: Bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction, lymph node removal, oophorectomy
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
This interview has been edited for clarity. This is not medical advice. Please consult with your healthcare provider to make treatment decisions.
A Second Chance at Life: Maggie’s Stage 4 PD-L1+ Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Story
When Maggie moved to the United States from the Netherlands to be with her wife, cancer was the last thing on her mind. But in 2022, she was diagnosed with stage 4 triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). What followed was an unexpected, life-changing experience that reshaped how she saw both the disease and her own resilience.
Interviewed by: Taylor Scheib Edited by: Katrina Villareal
Maggie’s story started as a bruising sensation in her left breast, which was something she initially attributed to exercise or a tight sports bra. Because she had no family history of breast cancer, she wrongly believed she was not at risk. When the lump grew, her concerns deepened, but as a visitor in the U.S., the cost of medical care made seeking immediate answers difficult. When she finally returned to the Netherlands, her doctor suspected a benign cyst, but ordered further testing just in case.
The truth came in stages. A mammogram, an X-ray of her lungs, and a biopsy revealed that while two tumors were benign, one was malignant. The cancer had spread to Maggie’s lymph nodes and lungs. The final diagnosis—stage 4 triple-negative breast cancer—was delivered bluntly, with an expectation that she might not live past two years. But she refused to accept that prognosis as final.
Returning to the U.S., Maggie navigated the complex healthcare system and secured treatment. A clinical trial offered an opportunity she hadn’t considered before. She had never heard of clinical trials in her home country, but in America, they became a lifeline. She was placed on a regimen including an antibody-drug conjugate with immunotherapy. Over time, the cancer receded, and today, she has no evidence of disease.
Throughout her treatment, Maggie learned the power of self-advocacy. Understanding the details of her clinical trial, asking questions, and staying informed about treatment options became crucial. She emphasizes that clinical trials can be a safe space for those with aggressive cancers like stage 4 triple-negative breast cancer because of the constant monitoring and access to cutting-edge treatments.
Beyond medicine, Maggie leaned into her mental resilience. She speaks passionately about shifting perspective—rethinking “Why me?” to “Why not me?” She believes in the importance of self-affirmation, reminding herself daily that she is strong, worthy, and still here. Cancer did not strip her of her identity or her future; instead, she found purpose in advocating for others and embracing life fully.
Maggie encourages others to prioritize physical and mental well-being. Walking, exercising, and staying active helped her through the exhaustion of treatment. She believes in supporting fellow patients by sharing knowledge and breaking down fears surrounding clinical trials and treatments. Maggie’s story is not just about survival—it’s about transformation. Cancer changed her life, but it did not define it. She continues to embrace every moment, proving that no one should be counted out too soon.
Name: Maggie C.
Age at Diagnosis:
44
Diagnosis:
Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
PD-L1+
Staging:
Stage 4
Symptoms:
Bruising sensation in the breast
Soft lump
Treatments:
Chemotherapy
Clinical trial: antibody-drug conjugate and immunotherapy
This interview has been edited for clarity. This is not medical advice. Please consult with your healthcare provider to make treatment decisions.
Kate’s Stage 4 Hormone Positive Breast Cancer Story
Interviewed by: Nikki Murphy Edited by: Chris Sanchez
Kate, a 35-year-old mother of two from Brantford, Canada, was diagnosed with stage 4 hormone-positive breast cancer in late 2024.
Kate’s journey began in 2022, when she discovered a lump while breastfeeding her daughter. At the time, doctors dismissed it as a cyst, stating she was too young for a mammogram or biopsy. Over the years, doctors repeatedly disregarded her concerns, despite the lump growing significantly.
Balancing her roles as a mother, wife, and student pursuing a master’s in applied disabilities, Kate experienced severe anxiety, insomnia, and high blood pressure. She and her doctors had chalked these symptoms up to her hectic life, but later realized that they were signs of her advancing cancer. After she finally underwent a mammogram, ultrasound, and biopsy in July 2024, her hormone positive breast cancer was diagnosed as stage 3. However, additional scans confirmed that it was instead stage 4, after it had been found to have spread to her hip bone and some lung lymph nodes.
Kate quickly began an aggressive treatment plan, consisting of chemotherapy, a planned double mastectomy, and radiation. Despite the option to transition to palliative care, she chose to continue fighting for her family, especially her young children. Kate faces the physical and emotional toll of treatment, including exhaustion, chemo fog, and hair loss. Losing her hair was particularly difficult, but she found solace in the support of her husband and children, who embrace her unconditionally.
Her children, a 6-year-old son and a 2-year-old daughter, keep her motivated, though she struggles with guilt over their missed activities due to her treatment. Kate stays active in their lives, ensuring normalcy while relying on her strong support system, including family and friends who celebrated her birthday with a surprise party before her chemotherapy began.
Though she mourns the loss of aspects of her femininity, including the prospect of a hysterectomy due to her hormone positive breast cancer subtype, Kate prioritizes survival for her family. She and her husband chose not to freeze her eggs, feeling content with their 2 children.
Kate remains grateful for her oncologist, who has been thorough in diagnostics and treatment planning. She has not sought a second opinion, trusting his expertise. While the road ahead is uncertain and involves continued treatments, Kate draws strength from her determination to see her children grow and her close-knit circle of loved ones. Despite the challenges, her resolve to fight for more time with her family, to live her life to the fullest, and to help others advocate for themselves defines her journey.
Name:
Kate C.
Age at Diagnosis:
34
Diagnosis:
Breast cancer (hormone receptor positive)
Staging:
Stage 4
Symptoms:
Rapidly growing tumor in right breast
High blood pressure
Insomnia
Anxiety
Treatment:
Chemotherapy
This interview has been edited for clarity. This is not medical advice. Please consult with your healthcare provider to make treatment decisions.
Interviewed by: Taylor Scheib Edited by: Chris Sanchez
Anna, a Brooklyn-based photographer originally from Prague, Czech Republic, shares her personal journey through triple positive breast cancer. On her 37th birthday, Anna discovered a lump in her breast, which led to a breast cancer diagnosis. At the time, her son was 2 and a half years old, and she and her husband, Jordan, were contemplating having a second child. Her experience became a photo-documentation project, capturing her emotional and physical journey.
After discovering the lump, Anna immediately sought medical advice. Despite her gynecologist dismissing the need for immediate concern, Anna pushed for further tests. She learned that 40% of women have dense breast tissue, making mammograms less effective. An ultrasound revealed the tumor, and a biopsy confirmed the diagnosis: triple positive breast cancer. The news was delivered over the phone while Anna was at work, a moment that profoundly affected her. She recounts how Jordan’s mother, who had also survived breast cancer, helped them navigate the situation.
Anna underwent a lumpectomy, followed by chemotherapy and radiation. She describes the physical and emotional toll of the treatments, including the onset of menopause at 37 due to hormone therapy and the devastating impact on her fertility. The prospect of not having a second child was deeply painful for Anna, who felt grief and resentment over the situation. While people often told her to be grateful for her existing child, Anna explains that it’s possible to experience both immense love for one child while grieving the loss of the possibility of another.
Mentally, the experience was overwhelming. After her surgery and treatments, Anna found herself struggling with depression and even suicidal thoughts. She vividly remembers an intense moment, and how this experience convinced her to seek therapy and antidepressants. Jordan also played a crucial role in helping her recognize her mental health struggles, encouraging her to seek help.
Anna found solace in photography, using her camera to document her cancer journey. This project, initially personal, helped her process the trauma and provided a way to visually articulate her experience. She and Jordan collaborated on this project, which eventually turned into a book. The process of creating the book was both therapeutic and challenging, as it forced Anna to confront painful memories. However, the feedback from others who connected with her story through the photographs was incredibly healing.
Anna’s story also highlights the importance of survivorship. She discusses how society often overlooks the ongoing struggles of cancer survivors, assuming that once physical recovery is evident, the person is fully healed. For Anna, the emotional and psychological healing continues long after the treatments have ended, and her photography serves as a powerful tool in that journey.
Interviewed by: Taylor Scheib Edited by: Chris Sanchez
Francina is a breast cancer survivor, a mother of 2, and a grandmother of 4. She enjoys traveling, going on cruises, and spending time with family and friends. Francina is an advocate for cancer awareness, working with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and the Sister to Sister Alliance to educate communities on cancer prevention and the importance of early detection.
Francina discovered her breast cancer during a routine mammogram. After further tests, she was informed that the mass was cancerous. Despite the shock, she remained calm and turned to her faith, vowing to use her journey to bring glory to God. Her treatment journey included two surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiation, and thanks to biomarker testing, she received a treatment tailored to her specific cancer type. After going through these challenges, she is now cancer-free, and has been so for 6 and a half years.
Throughout her journey, Francina relied on her faith, support from family, and her church community. She credits her strength and positive mindset for helping her fight cancer, as well as the help of a close friend who accompanied her through treatment and recovery. She emphasizes the importance of self-breast exams, early detection, and knowing one’s family medical history.
Name: Francina B.
Diagnosis:
Breast Cancer
Staging:
Stage 2B
Symptom:
None
Treatments:
Surgery: lumpectomy; removal of cancerous sentinel nodes
Chemotherapy
Radiation
Thank you to Abbvie, Genmab, and Karyopharm for their support of our patient education program! The Patient Story retains full editorial control over all content.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length. This is not medical advice. Please consult with your healthcare provider for treatment decisions.
You know, God has given me another chance and the opportunities afforded me not only enable me to use my voice, but also to enjoy life.
And that’s exactly what I’m doing.
Introduction
My name is Francina. I’m a breast cancer survivor. I am a mother of two, a daughter and a son and a Nana of 4. 2 boys and 2 girls. I am one who loves to travel. I love going on cruises. And I also love spending time with my family and friends.
I’m enjoying life. You know, God has given me another chance and the opportunities afforded me enable me not only to use my voice, but also to enjoy life. And that’s exactly what I’m doing.
Pre-diagnosis
Initial Symptoms
Well, I didn’t experience any symptoms. It was my annual routine mammogram, and maybe about a few days, maybe a week later, I got a phone call from my doctor.
They needed to do another mammogram and also ultrasound because they had seen a mass.
They wasn’t really sure what it was, but they were concerned.
Diagnosis
So I went and I got my mammogram done. I got my ultrasound done, and I was on my way to the gym.
As soon as I get to the gym, I get a phone call from my doctor that the mass was cancerous.
And she said, I’m going to set you up with other doctors, you pick what you want and go from there.
… you don’t hear everything that’s being said because you’re still trying to figure out them 3 words. “I have cancer.”
Reaction to the Diagnosis
And so I’m sitting in my car and so I call my pastor and I call her aunt.
And after that I said, you know what, God? Because I never questioned Him. I never asked Him why. I said, If I’m going to carry this, it’s going to be to Your glory.
I said, I’m not going to call my children yet because I know they’re going to have many questions. So let me go, wait and see and talk to my doctor, you know, get information so that I can share with them.
My concern was having to go home and tell my husband. So I went into the gym and I worked out. I went home and my husband was in the bedroom, and I went and told him, and immediately it was negativity. You know, you go there thinking the worst. And so I had to throw my hand up and said, I don’t receive that. And I walked out the room. And so it was a process.
I had a friend that I went to talk to. I used to take care of her son for 2 and a half years, and he had passed away. So I went to her, you know, and let her know what was going on. And she’s a godsend.
I thought that her son was my reason. No, it was her because she went with me through my whole cancer journey from day 1: treatments, surgery, changing my bandages. I mean, the whole bit. And even took notes that I didn’t even know she had taken.
Because, you know, when you go to see your doctor and they tell you that you have cancer, you know, your mind is all over the place. And you don’t hear everything that’s being said because you’re still trying to figure out them 3 words: I have cancer.
Treatment
Options
So my surgeon was very compassionate. He explained everything to me until I understood. He gave me options.
Then he said, you go home and you pray about it, and you come back and let me know what your decision is.
And in the process of having the lumpectomy done they found in my sentinel nodes that I had 3 cancerous cells. That means it was outside of the mass.
And so 2 weeks later, I had to have another surgery where they had to go into my armpit. And you have 3 tiers where they took out 2 tiers of cancers.
And it was clear. Clear margin. So the cancer had not spread. So that was a blessing.
So then I had to have a biopsy done so they would know what type of cancer I had.
Chemotherapy and radiation
So in the process of finding out what type of cancer I had, I was able to get a treatment that was tailor-made for my specific cancer. So I had the first round.
I had 4 rounds of chemo every 2 weeks, and then I had to have 12 rounds of another chemo.
The first chemo was doxorubicin, what we call Red Devil. That’s really a powerful, potent treatment.
And then I had paclitaxel, which was for 3 months.
After that, I had either 32 or 33 rounds of radiation.
And from there I was cancer-free. That was 6 and a half years ago.
Being Cancer-Free
And it was due to biomarker testing that at the time I did not know I had it done. I just found out the early part of this year. And it was that that contributed to the type of treatment that I needed for my specific cancer, which worked.
And like I said, to God be all the glory because I am cancer-free. I am healed.
And the moment when the doctor pulled me in and said, hey, your scans are clear. Oh, I mean, I was ecstatic, but I already knew because I had a conversation with God, you know, and he gave me 3 words as well. And his 3 words was: I got you. And when God said he got you, he got you.
So I never was stressed or worried about my cancer journey at all.
“I had people”
You know, everybody says something different, but it was just the stress mentally, you know, physically and emotionally of going through and the challenges that I had because of it.
I had to stop working, I was no longer able to work. And so in the process, I exhausted my savings. And so I had no health, no health care.
And so I applied for assistance, but I didn’t qualify, and I had no income.
But I had people.
My social worker was awesome. And she connected me to organizations as well as my niece, because I had a sister that passed away from breast cancer in 2015. So she wasn’t as fortunate.
So I used my voice on behalf of her as well as those that are next to me, but also coming behind me.
Advice Francina Wants to Share
Get tested
So based on my experience, I now advocate testing.
You know, we have to advocate. We have to stop being silent, being quiet, and to let people know cancer does not have to be a death sentence.
Early detection is key. And so, you know, you want to make a point of people to go ahead and get their screenings done. And those that are not old enough to have mammograms to do self-breast exams monthly.
So I’m about educating and giving information, you know, sharing my story, my journey so that I can help others along the way.
And my advocacy has also extended to me urging my daughter to get tested too. And she does get tested, every 6 months. And I also have a sister on my father’s side who also gets tested.
My niece also gets tested because it was her mother that passed away, and I’m her aunt. So, you know, you got to look at that connection. So they all are proactive in getting their screenings. They get MRIs and do self-breast exams as well. I have 2 granddaughters I’m trying to teach about doing self-breast checks.
When we go to health fairs, there are a lot of young adults that are not old enough to get mammograms, don’t know how to do self-breast exams, don’t even know about it. So I’ve asked them, you know, when you go get your physicals, do you talk to your physician? They say, no.
I said, when you go, you ask them to not only perform it, but to show you how to do it yourself, because a lot of times people find those lumps themselves. Also, they’ll be the first to see a change in their body.
So they need to know what to look for. So we like to educate and give information so they are aware.
Link with support groups
Connecting with support groups helped, surrounding myself with positive people. And also learning from them about people who beat cancer. Not just seeing the success, but gathering information from them.
But it was also inspiring to see patients who are now 5 years, 10 years, 20 years cancer free. You know, that was the stuff that gave me something to push forward to.
That can help you through your journey, because there are a lot of people that have already been through what we’re going through so they can help us.
You know, they can be an encouragement and inspiration to us and also be there to support us.
Cancer doesn’t have me.
I’m going to be in control.
It’s not going to take me.
Develop a positive mindset
And also having a positive mindset was so important.
Cancer doesn’t have me. I’m going to be in control. It’s not going to take me.
I’m going to enjoy my life, you know, and do some of the things that maybe I wouldn’t have normally do.
But, you know, just to be an inspiration and encouragement to other people that listen, you can fight this, you can beat this, you can overcome this. You can still have quality of life.
Put your mind to do the things that you want to do, and surround yourself with positive people. Get connected to support groups.
Lean on family and friends
It was so amazing to be supported by my church family, their prayers, having them rally around you and cheer you on.
Plus the support from my family was so heartening. Because when I did finally tell my children, my daughter looked at me. Mom, she said, you know, you’re a strong woman, you’re going to beat this.
My son wanted to run and come to his mama. You know, but they all know that their mama is a fighter.
I’m not one to give up. I’m not one to quit. So I’m going to push. I’m going to press.
But my daughter, every time I look around, she was leaving Maryland, coming to see about her mama. If I didn’t sound right on the phone, she was there.
So, like I said, my family means a lot, because they see me doing my journey. But it also helps them too, as we’re creating memories and also leaving legacies that they can follow and continue with.
Be aware of any family history
Another key thing that I tell people is, know your family history.
See, when I was growing up you didn’t ask questions as a child. So now all your matriarchs and the patriarchs are no longer here.
You know, you don’t have the information. So it has to start from me with educating my children and my grandkids.
And I’m seeing me when I’m going through and understanding what I do and why I do it.
So with their support and the support of my friends, you know, I’m I believe I’m making a difference.
Learn about biomarkers and why they matter
I also wanted to talk a little bit about biomarkers and their importance. Basically, they get a sample from your tumor and they test it, you know, and then and it determines the type of cancer that you have.
Well, I’m still learning about biomarker testing, but what it did for me was it was able to target the type of cancer that I had. So a lot of people are not aware that they’ve had it done because, you know, you didn’t hear of it. Even my doctors, they didn’t tell me anything about biomarker testing.
It was my advocacy group that was discussing it because it’s something that we’re trying to get out there trying to talk with our lawmakers. Making that a policy. We’re not there yet. So we’re trying to get petitions and we’re educating, you know, our lawmakers. With personal stories.
That’s something that we could bring to the table when it comes to insurance companies, because right now, a lot of insurance companies will not pay for it because they feel that it’s experimental. But when you got these positive outcomes from people who have had it done to me, you know that makes it makes a difference.
So now they can go back and see, okay, what treatment would be best to combat this type of cancer. And so for me, that’s what they did.
So the regimen that I was on, even though it was hard, it was something that did what it needed to do. And that’s why I am cancer-free because it was targeted for my specific cancer.
It’s cost effective because, if you really don’t know what you what you’re dealing with, you don’t really know what type of treatment is best for that. You’re trying different regimens and it puts a lot of stress and strain on the patient.
But if you’re a doctor and you know something is targeted that this is going to work for this type of cancer, if you use this type of treatment, this medication, then, okay, you’re saving your patient, but you’re also giving that that person quality of life and also extending their life.
I want everybody to be advocates for themselves.
Because who knows your body better than you do?
Advocate for others—and yourself
Let me finish by sharing the most important efforts in the work I’m doing with the American Cancer Society when it comes to the black and African American community.
Bringing about awareness, equipping them, empowering them to get out there and to do what they need to do for themselves. Leading by example. Sharing my story with them and letting them know.
Again, cancer is not a death sentence. Early detection is key. We must get out there and do our screenings, and also do our monthly breast exams, and not allow fear to keep you from getting the care.
Because everybody deserves to have some type of quality care.
I want everybody to be advocates for themselves. Because who knows your body better than you do?
And sometimes you go to doctors and you tell them things are going on and they push you off. And my thing is, if you go to a doctor and they cannot do what you’re asking or requiring them to do, go somewhere else where somebody will.
Because there are people that have been diagnosed and they’re already stage 3. Stage 4. Whereas if they would have had it done initially, they may have caught it earlier.
So we have to also be advocates for ourselves. We deserve to have care. We deserve to be listened to and to be understood.
Special thanks again to Abbvie, Genmab, and Karyopharm for their support of our patient education program! The Patient Story retains full editorial control over all content.
Krista’s Stage 1A IDC Breast Cancer with ATM Mutation Story
Interviewed by: Taylor Scheib Edited by: Katrina Villareal
Krista’s stage 1A breast cancer journey is deeply connected to her family’s history. Her mother was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer at 48 and underwent various treatments like chemotherapy, radiation, and hormone therapy. She tested positive for a mutation in the ATM gene, which raises the risk of breast cancer. This finding led Krista to get genetic testing, revealing she also carried the same mutation, giving her a 69% risk of developing breast cancer.
Krista began following a rigorous screening schedule, alternating between mammograms and breast MRIs every six months. Despite a normal mammogram, her MRI detected an abnormality. Though specialists initially dismissed it as non-cancerous, Krista felt uneasy and insisted on a biopsy. This confirmed her breast cancer diagnosis just two weeks before her scheduled preventative surgery.
She chose to undergo a double mastectomy with DIEP flap reconstruction, using tissue from her abdomen to reconstruct her breasts. The process involved an initial eight-hour surgery followed by a revision surgery. After the procedure, Krista was relieved to avoid chemotherapy due to her low Oncotype DX score. Instead, she began a five-year course of tamoxifen, experiencing minor side effects like sleep disturbances and fatigue.
Her treatment plan also included daily exercise, which helped manage the side effects. Krista’s nutrition strategy focused on a plant-heavy diet, aiming for 8 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables daily with a balanced intake of high-quality, low-quantity meat.
Mentally, Krista dealt with stress by spending quiet time, running, and leaning on her husband’s support. She emphasizes the importance of making informed, personal treatment decisions and encourages others to consider genetic testing and explore all their options.
Krista’s motivation to share her story comes from a desire to empower others with the knowledge she has gained. She hopes to help others make informed decisions and potentially prevent cancer. She advocates for taking one’s time to navigate the overwhelming journey of cancer, stressing the importance of making decisions that bring peace of mind.
Name: Krista B.
Diagnosis:
Breast Cancer
Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC)
HR+, HER2-
Staging:
Stage 1A
Mutations:
ATM
Symptoms:
None; abnormality detected in breast MRI
Treatments:
Surgery: double mastectomy with DIEP flap reconstruction
This interview has been edited for clarity. This is not medical advice. Please consult with your healthcare provider to make treatment decisions.
Expand to read the AI-generated YouTube Video Transcript
[00:01] Hi, I’m Krista, and I am a nurse and a patient advocate and a breast cancer survivor. My story really begins with my mom’s cancer diagnosis. She was diagnosed at age 48 with stage 3 breast cancer. At that time, she was only tested for two gene mutations linked to breast cancer, which were the BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations. She was negative.
[00:36] Fast forward, she did every type of treatment—chemo, radiation, hormone therapy, everything. She put up a strong fight for about 12 years. Shortly before she passed away, she was unfortunately offered expanded genetic testing for other genes linked to breast cancer. She did test positive for a mutation in her ATM gene, which was a pathogenic mutation and higher risk than the average ATM gene.
[01:15] She shared that with all of her children because we then had a 50% chance of inheriting that from her, so we had the option to also test for that mutation. A few months after she passed away, I decided to move forward with my own genetic testing and found out I was also a carrier of the same mutation. So, I had a 69% risk of breast cancer, a 5 to 10% risk of pancreatic cancer, and also a 2 to 3% risk of ovarian cancer.
[01:56] Because I was at high risk for these cancers, I started to follow the recommendations for more thorough and frequent screenings, which meant on top of mammograms, I was also doing breast MRI, alternating every six months. I started that process and also began considering different surgical options for preventative surgeries.
[02:20] During this time, my mammogram was normal, but my breast MRI showed an abnormality. We did some follow-up testing—ultrasound and diagnostic mammogram. At that time, they said that it did not look like cancer. I was nervous about that with my risk, so I followed up and had three specialists tell me that it was not cancer. They advised me to take my time, make my decisions, and move forward with the surgical plan that I had in place.
[03:01] So, I did that, but because it started to have a possibility of affecting the process of my surgery, I requested a biopsy. It came back two weeks before my preventative surgery and showed a diagnosis of breast cancer. It was a little bit of a shock. I went into my biopsy thinking, “Oh, I’m good. This is just a routine check to make sure it’s okay to move forward with my surgery in the order we had planned.” So, I was really surprised at the diagnosis, but I was grateful to have that plan in place already and that I wasn’t scrambling to make decisions.
[03:42] I had my first surgery, a double mastectomy with flap reconstruction, on January 30th of this year, followed by a second surgery in April. Luckily, I really believe that I owe this all to my mom and advances in genetics. I’m grateful every day for the fact that she did genetic testing because, to this day, at this point in time, I don’t think I would still have a diagnosis based on my screening schedule. I’m very grateful I was able to avoid chemotherapy and a lot of the other things that I watched her go through. I’m grateful for that every day. It saved my life.
[04:36] If you’re interested in doing genetic testing, the first step would be to talk to your medical provider. This can sometimes be your primary care provider, an OB-GYN, or any specialist in the field of cancer that you may or may not have a family history with. You’re going to want to request a hereditary cancer panel, which screens for somewhere around 79 different genes that are now linked to cancer. The first step would be to request that from your provider, and most of the time, they’ll recommend that you see a genetic counselor, which is a great idea in my opinion. They’re amazing and have the most up-to-date information on the different genes and the risks associated with each. They do a deep dive into your family history and then make recommendations for different testing.
[05:31] From that point, it has really changed my life. I have three little girls, and I just think how different it’s going to be for them and how much they can avoid. But when it comes down to choices for reconstruction, there are typically three main choices that are offered to patients or should be offered to patients. One of them is esthetic flat closure, the second one is breast implants, and the third is flat base reconstruction. Flat base reconstruction is one that’s a little less known. It was my choice, and rather than having an implant, they take tissue from a part of your body and basically transplant it with all the vessels and use that in place of the implant for your reconstruction.
[06:26] It’s pretty amazing the way that they do it, and there are different places that they can take the tissue from. One of the most common is the one that I chose called deep flap reconstruction. They take tissue from your abdomen and use that for the reconstruction. It’s a little bit of a longer surgery upfront, and it was a two-phase surgery for me. That’s very common for patients who choose this reconstruction option. It is around an eight-hour surgery usually, so a little longer.
[07:06] My advice to anyone who is facing these choices is that they’re very hard choices, right? They’re life-changing decisions that you have to make. Sometimes you aren’t given a lot of time, but the thing that I hope everyone understands is that there are different options out there. Regardless of what anyone else thinks—whether it’s your provider, your family members, or someone who has been through it—ultimately, it’s your decision, and it’s what you have to live with. It should be the choice that makes you feel the most at peace moving forward.
[07:50] I have a lot of patients who I talk to who get very frustrated because they were not offered all the options. That’s one of the reasons I like to share my story because even for me as a nurse, in the beginning, I did not have a clue that this was an option. My biggest advice would be to take your time. Even with a cancer diagnosis, you have time to make an informed decision. Consider all of your options and choose the one that makes you feel the most at peace moving forward.
[08:25] The recommendation for me, treatment-wise moving forward, was that I had a very low risk of recurrence. My Oncotype score was one out of 100, so no chemo was recommended. But I was hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative. The recommendation for me was tamoxifen, and that would be over a five-year period. I am at this point only three months in, but very happy to say that my side effects have been very minimal so far. I know that can change, but so far, not bad—just a little bit of sleep disturbance and fatigue, but nothing that is not manageable.
[09:10] One of the things that my oncologist, who I love, recommended was making sure you exercise every day. That was going to make the biggest difference in my side effects on that medication, so he said, “Don’t stop.” So I increased it, and I’m going to keep doing that and hope for the best moving forward. I know that side effects can be really hard sometimes, and it’s always a hard choice. It was something that I never wanted to do, which is why I chose the preventative surgery. But here we are. Just try to make the best of it and take it day by day.
[09:52] I think I tend to carry stress well somehow, but after everything was finished, I felt this huge weight lifted off my shoulders. I remember saying to my husband, “I didn’t even realize how much I was carrying until I was done with the surgery part.” It’s a huge stressor, but I did try to do a few things during the last year as I was going through all of this that helped a lot.
[10:31] For me, I’m not necessarily a meditation person, but that is very helpful for a lot of people. For me, I have a swing on my back porch, and that’s kind of my space where I spend a lot of time. I guess it could be similar to meditation, but that was very helpful to me. I would just go out and have quiet—turn off the phone, have time to just kind of process things, and swing on my swing. Grounding is also really good.
[11:10] Having somebody to talk to is important. I’m very lucky. My husband is very supportive, and he listened to me. I’m an out-loud processor, so he listened as I made all these hard decisions and changed my mind 500 times. Just the back-and-forth, talking about all the things I’m learning about food—you have to have a person who is willing to listen and not necessarily give advice. That was very helpful.
[11:42] I’m also back to the exercise, but running is a huge stress relief for me. That was one of the things I also tried to focus on—making sure I was getting in running and doing some deep breathing.
[11:55] One of the biggest things that feels overwhelming to a lot of people who have just been diagnosed with cancer or are at high risk is, “What do I eat?” That was one of the first things that I said to my doctor, “What should I eat? Is there a specific diet that I should be on?” I talk to women every day who are asking the same questions. It is one of the most impactful things that we can do, but also one of the most overwhelming, especially if you’re trying to navigate all of these things being thrown at you with a new diagnosis and high-risk genes.
[12:34] I am in a Master’s of Medical Nutrition program right now, which I love. I get to focus a lot on the research with cancer prevention and all of the new studies that are coming out. I love it. I’m very passionate about it, but I will also say that there is no perfect plan. There’s no perfect diet that we can all do to prevent cancer, right? There’s no 100% guarantee with anything when it comes to cancer. It does what it wants.
[13:10] Some of the best recommendations I can give are to eat a lot of plants. One of the best things you can do is eat lots of fruits and vegetables. I think the recommendation is 5 or 6 servings. I try to go for 8 to 10 every day, which sounds like a lot, but once you start incorporating them and finding different ways to do it, there are so many things—fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, whole grains—that have so many benefits for cancer and trying to prevent cancer and reduce your risk as much as possible.
[13:47] The reason that I like to share this kind of information is because, for me personally, moving from this place of overwhelm and trying to navigate everything into a space where I felt more empowered was huge for me. I remember thinking, “I’m a nurse, and how much of this did I not know from the start, and how much have I had to learn?” I felt very fortunate to have access to a lot of courses and certifications that not everyone has.
[14:26] I feel like I owe my life to my mom and genetic testing, and I would be in a very different place without that. After I went through all of this, I felt this huge responsibility to share with others because I know there are so many people who could benefit from this information. Even if it makes a difference for one person or helps one person feel more empowered in their decision-making and informed about the options that are available, even genetic testing—if it helps one person or prevents one cancer diagnosis—it’s totally worth it.
[15:12] No matter what phase you’re going through, it’s scary, and it’s overwhelming. Whether you have been diagnosed with cancer already or are a provider who is just starting out on your journey, just know that it’s not always going to feel like it feels right now.
Samantha’s Stage 4 ER+ PR+ HER2+ IDC Breast Cancer Story
Interviewed by: Taylor Scheib Edited by: Katrina Villareal
Samantha’s journey with stage 4 breast cancer began in March 2019 when she was 22. Living in Virginia with her husband and young daughter, she first noticed a lump in her breast. Initially dismissed by her primary care physician and an ultrasound tech as an infection, a biopsy eventually confirmed her cancer diagnosis. Despite the initial belief that her cancer was at stage 1, further tests revealed it had spread, making it stage 4 breast cancer.
Her treatment plan involved chemotherapy, which she had to stop early due to severe neuropathy, followed by a lumpectomy, radiation, hormone therapy, and targeted therapy. Despite significant side effects, she managed to maintain no evidence of disease (NED) for some time. After two years of hormone therapy, Samantha decided to take a break to try for a baby, which led to a successful pregnancy in April 2022.
However, during her pregnancy, she and her family moved to Alaska. While there, Samantha’s cancer recurred, causing severe back pain due to lesions in her spine and pelvis. Unable to travel back to Virginia without stabilizing her spine, she underwent surgery and later radiation before returning to her oncologist for a new treatment plan. She joined a clinical trial involving a new radium drug for bone metastases but had to leave it due to mixed results.
Samantha then resumed hormone therapy and targeted therapy with different drugs than before. Throughout her treatment, she emphasized the importance of careful decision-making, the support of her family, and maintaining a positive outlook.
Name: Samantha L.
Diagnosis:
Breast Cancer
Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC)
ER+
PR+
HER2+
Staging:
Stage 4
Initial Symptom:
Lump in breast
Treatment:
Chemotherapy
Surgeries: Surgery: lumpectomy, spinal surgery (fractured vertebrae)
Radiation
Hormone therapy: anastrozole & letrozole
Targeted therapy: abemaciclib & ribociclib
This interview has been edited for clarity. This is not medical advice. Please consult with your healthcare provider to make treatment decisions.
I went to my regular doctor who said it was nothing. I was so young that it couldn’t be breast cancer.
Introduction
My husband and I live in Virginia and have a 1-½-year old daughter. I was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer at 22 in March 2019.
Pre-diagnosis
Initial Symptoms
It was the day after Valentine’s Day. My husband and I weren’t married yet. He was my boyfriend at the time. My mom loves to celebrate Valentine’s with the family. The celebration had ended and we were watching TV. He hugged me from behind and squeezed me tight. When he did, I felt some pain in my left breast. I realized there was a lump.
PCP Appointment
I went to my regular doctor who said it was nothing. I was so young that it couldn’t be breast cancer. They told me to put a warm compress on it, but that didn’t do anything. They put me on antibiotics thinking it was an infection and, of course, that didn’t help.
They finally sent me for an ultrasound and the ultrasound tech looked at it and said, “This looks like an infection. You’re 22 and I’ve never seen breast cancer in a 22-year-old, so that’s not what it is. But just in case, you can get a biopsy if you want.”
Getting a Biopsy
I almost left the hospital and went home without doing anything about it. He said it wasn’t urgent, but there was an opening so I got the biopsy done.
When you’re 22 and recently graduated college, cancer is not on your mind at all.
Diagnosis
Biopsy Results
The results revealed abnormal cells, so I had to go in for a second biopsy. That was the one that told us that I had breast cancer.
Reaction to the Diagnosis
When you’re 22 and recently graduated college, cancer is not on your mind at all.
My breast surgeon called me on the day the abnormal cells came back and said, “You need to come in again.” I went in and that’s when she started to prepare me that it could be cancer. She ended up calling me when she found out that it was.
She told me she cleared out an appointment for me at the end of the day and that we should get more information about the hormone receptors at that point. She scheduled an appointment so that I could talk to my family and get all of our questions written down before the appointment.
Treatment
Discussing the Treatment Plan
I didn’t know anything. I thought it was stage 1. I went through it in stages, always thinking that it was the least concerning thing. I don’t think there’s a big shock. It came about over time as we had more questions and learned more about it.
She was suspicious right when I walked in. She wanted to check the lymph nodes under my arm because that’s the first place cancer spreads. My boyfriend, my parents, and a friend who’s a doctor came to the appointment with me. They all had questions and wanted to help me and know everything. They went into a separate room and she took me back and did the biopsy under my arm.
When we went back, she laid out a plan. It was March and she said we should be done with all active treatment by Christmas. She said the standard is chemotherapy and then surgery, which was going to be a lumpectomy or a mastectomy, and then radiation. Since my cancer was hormone-positive, I would be on hormone therapy for some years after.
The spot was more contained. They said it was probably cancer because the chemo shrunk it. Then we realized I was stage 4 breast cancer.
Chemotherapy
There were a few hiccups. I had to stop chemo early because Taxol (paclitaxel) was causing neuropathy in my fingers. It got too bad and my oncologist didn’t want permanent nerve damage to happen. I was a little bummed about stopping Taxol early because it made me feel like I wasn’t doing everything that I could, but it’s what happens when your side effects get too bad.
Originally, all of my doctors wanted me to do a double mastectomy because I was young. Younger women tend to choose a double mastectomy because it gives people peace of mind to make sure all of the breast tissue is removed and there’s no place for cancer to grow.
I had a scan where they saw a spot in one of my ribs. They weren’t positive it was cancer and it was in a weird location that they wouldn’t be able to biopsy it. We talked to neurosurgeons about removing it, but we weren’t sure if it was cancer.
When I had chemo and scans again, the spot was more contained. They said it was probably cancer because the chemo shrunk it. Then we realized I was stage 4 breast cancer.
Lumpectomy
At this point, mastectomy isn’t going to matter too much because the cancer has already spread past the breasts. If I do a lumpectomy, the recovery time is shorter so I could get started with radiation immediately after. They wanted to do radiation on the rib to target the spot that was seen in the scan since it couldn’t be removed with surgery.
I ended up doing a lumpectomy, which is weird because when you think about cancer when you don’t have it, you think you’d do the most drastic option possible. But when you’re faced with your options, you’re not always picking that for yourself and your situation.
Radiation
After the lumpectomy, I did radiation and finished that in November.
My case wasn’t as bad of a stage 4 breast cancer case, so we were hopeful that I was cured at that point and that getting pregnant would be fine.
Hormone Therapy & Targeted Therapy
I started hormone therapy and targeted therapy after radiation and did that for two years. Since I had radiation on that tiny spot on my rib, I had no evidence of disease (NED) on scans.
I was having a lot of side effects with hormone therapy and targeted therapy. Being NED for so long, I didn’t even know if these therapies were doing anything or just making me miserable. It was causing a lot of physical and mental side effects that were the hardest time in my life so far. Way harder than chemo, radiation, and the rest of it.
I wanted to stop early. My oncologist wanted me to get to three years, but I could only make it two.
Fertility Post-Treatment
I wanted to try having a baby so I asked him. He cited some recent studies about women who had breast cancer, stopped hormone therapy after two years, took a break, got pregnant, and then went back on treatment. The chances of their cancer reoccurring didn’t increase. Some people had their cancer come back and some people didn’t, but getting pregnant didn’t affect that.
However, the study was for stage 3 and below and not stage 4 breast cancer. Since I only had a tiny spot of cancer and it wasn’t in multiple places throughout my body, my case wasn’t as bad of a stage 4 breast cancer case, so we were hopeful that I was cured at that point and that getting pregnant would be fine.
I got off hormone therapy and targeted therapy. I started in November 2019 and ended in October 2021. I wasn’t having periods the whole time and then my cycles returned to normal. I felt amazing. I think it was because I wasn’t on hormones anymore. Then I got pregnant in April 2022.
You can’t let the fear of cancer coming back control your life. You can’t make every decision based on whether your cancer comes back or not.
Pregnancy was great. I still had all of the same pregnancy side effects, like nausea, but I was so used to being nauseous from treatment that it didn’t affect me. I just felt good that I wasn’t on medication. There were lingering side effects from both chemotherapy and targeted therapy. I still have hot and cold sensitivity in my fingers, toes, ears, and teeth. I have dry eyes.
It can be difficult because people don’t want their cancer to come back. They don’t want their child to be left without a mother. That’s the main worry people have. My philosophy on it is that you’re not a statistic. You don’t know what could happen in your life and you can’t let the fear of cancer coming back control your life. You can’t make every decision based on whether your cancer comes back or not.
If I can, then I will. If I feel good, then I’m going to do this or that. It’s not a decision that I made easily. My husband and I talked through it and we spoke to our doctor about it. We did what was best for him and what was best for our family specifically. It’s not for everybody. You have to figure it out for yourself.
There are all these medical questions that you need to ask your doctor, but it can be a good thing and possible. There’s a lot of new research coming out. You don’t have to be afraid of having hormones in your body after having hormone-positive cancer.
Moving to Alaska
In the middle of my pregnancy, we moved to Alaska, so we were away from my oncologist for a while. I was still keeping in touch with him, but we were hopeful that I was cured since I had scans that showed no evidence of disease for so long after my daughter was born. I was breastfeeding, so we didn’t do a lot of monitoring because I was still feeling good and there were no new symptoms.
Several lesions throughout my spine and pelvis were found on the MRI.
Cancer Recurs
We were on a mountain one day taking family photos when I collapsed to the ground. My back hurt so bad that I couldn’t get up. Five guys had to carry me to the car. I went to the ER that day and eventually had a scan. The results showed a fracture in my spine because there was cancer growing in it, crushing the vertebrae, and causing the pain. Several lesions throughout my spine and pelvis were found on the MRI as well.
I couldn’t get on a plane to fly back to Virginia because they were worried that if something shifted, I could be paralyzed, so I needed to have surgery to stabilize my spine before moving back. We couldn’t even think about treating the cancer until that happened. It was scary because we weren’t doing anything to address the cancer.
I had surgery in the middle of August followed by a very painful recovery. I was already in a lot of pain beforehand, but I needed two weeks of recovery. When we got to Virginia, I met with my oncologist and came up with a new plan.
New Treatment Plan
They thought I needed radiation on the vertebra that had the fracture because there were other spots throughout my spine and pelvis, but that was the biggest and causing the most problems. We did three rounds of radiation on that first.
My oncologist knew that hormone therapy and targeted therapy made me miserable, so he gave me three options. He said I could go on hormone-targeted therapy, I could take a chemo pill called Xeloda (capecitabine), or I could get on a clinical trial.
I couldn’t start the trial until 14 days after my last radiation, so for two weeks, I wasn’t doing anything and I could feel things getting worse.
Joining the Clinical Trial
He was excited about the clinical trial because it used a new radium drug targeting bone metastases. It was already an approved treatment for prostate cancer with lots of success and this trial was testing it on metastatic breast cancer patients. We went with that because he said it could eliminate what’s in my bones.
The problem was that I didn’t know which group I would be in. They were going to tell me, but I was either going to be in the group getting chemo or in the group getting chemo and the radium drug.
That was a stressful time because there was a period when I had to wait to get approved for the trial. I couldn’t start the trial until 14 days after my last radiation, so for two weeks, I wasn’t doing anything and I could feel things getting worse.
I ended up in the radium arm of the trial, which was good, and I did that for a while. It helped with my pain a lot and decreased some of the markers in my body.
I ended up having to go off the trial because my scan showed mixed results. Some areas were better, but some areas were worse. I think it’s because my original scan was in September and not right before I started the trial. There was that two-week period when things got worse, but there’s no way of knowing if that was it or not.
Hormone Therapy & Targeted Therapy
After the trial, I talked with my husband and my family and decided that I was going to give hormone therapy and targeted therapy another try. My oncologist recommended trying a different drug than what I was on before, so that’s what I’m doing now. I’m on anastrozole and abemaciclib, which is slightly different from the letrozole and ribociclib that I did in 2019.
The whole point of stage 4 treatment is to find a treatment that you can tolerate for the rest of your life.
Treatment Decision-Making
People don’t realize how much thought is put into treatment-decision making. You think about it for days, weeks, and months, talking it through and talking to doctors. I think that experience was good because it led me to my decision and made me realize that I’m exactly where I should be.
Having a Strong Support System
I have a supportive husband and family who help talk through things with me. I think about things a lot, pray all the time, and try to get the wisdom to make all these decisions in a way that’s going to be the best for myself, my husband, and my daughter.
It’s not just about patience. It takes a lot of work and it’s not something that you make a split-second decision about. There’s a lot of thinking and praying.
The whole point of stage 4 breast cancer treatment is to find a treatment that you can tolerate for the rest of your life. When we went to a new center, found out all the information, and talked with my oncologist more about whether this was realistically going to be the best option for me, that’s what made us think that this is what’s going to be good.
It wasn’t just me. My husband was so afraid of me being on it again. He knew how much I suffered when I was on it. It affects both of us. Going on it for the second time around was nice. It was working better. I don’t know if it’s because I went through a pregnancy, I’m older, it’s a different drug than before, or if I have a different mental attitude towards it.
If I didn’t have a baby who was so dependent on me, I don’t think I would’ve even considered going back on hormone therapy.
Everything happens for a reason. Some people thought it was a dumb decision for me to get pregnant, but having her is what made me do this treatment in the first place. If I didn’t have a baby who was so dependent on me, I don’t think I would’ve even considered going back on hormone therapy. I would’ve done the chemo pill. It could have worked, but it could not have worked. Having her around gave me this huge drive to live for as long as possible. It’s what made me even try it again in the first place. I wouldn’t have even known that it would be better this time around.
A cancer diagnosis is harder on the family than on the person going through it. Your family loves you. A lot of family members feel like they’re being pushed away and that they’re not wanted. My instinct is to do that because I don’t want to put a burden on them. But at the end of the day, it’s important that they’re there. The best thing that a family member can do is be there and listen. What to say and do is going to be different for everybody, but being there is a good place to start.
Words of Advice
Don’t wait. If you want to do something, do it. You never know when your life is going to dramatically change. I didn’t realize how much I enjoyed picking up my baby and rocking her to sleep then all of a sudden, it’s taken away from me.
When we moved to Alaska, people asked why we were going. We had an opportunity, so we’re going to move to Alaska for a year. We probably could never do that again because now I need all this treatment so I’m back in Virginia where my original team is.
If you want to do something, do it while you can because you never know when you’re physically not going to be able to do it.
Don’t wait. If you want to do something, do it. You never know when your life is going to dramatically change.
Interviewed by: Taylor Scheib Edited by: Katrina Villareal
At 27, Kelsey was diagnosed with stage 2B estrogen-positive breast cancer in May 2023. When she felt a slightly tender lump, her primary care physician initially thought it was a cyst. However, an ultrasound and mammogram revealed otherwise. The diagnosis left her in shock and unable to process the information. All she could think about was her fear of dying.
Until her diagnosis, Kelsey had considered herself healthy. Cancer made her realize how precious health is. Being a mother to a toddler during treatment was challenging, but her child brought her joy and gratitude, giving her something to fight for.
Kelsey’s treatment began with AC-T chemotherapy (Adriamycin, cyclophosphamide, and Taxol) to target the fast-growing tumor. However, an allergic reaction to Taxol caused anaphylactic shock, leading to a switch to Abraxane. This experience underscored the importance of self-advocacy. Despite severe fatigue and nausea, she learned to accept her limitations rather than push herself.
A month after finishing chemotherapy, Kelsey underwent a double mastectomy with axillary lymph node removal on the left side and immediate reconstruction. Recovery was challenging, with constant nerve pain and cording, taking almost six months for her to raise her arm above her head. Nearly two months after surgery, she began 16 radiation sessions on the left side.
Currently, Kelsey is on tamoxifen, a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM), and will take the CDK inhibitor Verzenio (abemaciclib) for two years. She also receives Lupron shots to protect her ovaries from chemotherapy, as she couldn’t undergo fertility preservation.
Kelsey emphasizes the importance of self-advocacy, prioritizing medical concerns, and being more aware of one’s body. She hopes to inspire others and live a life of greater appreciation and gratitude, having gained a unique perspective from her cancer journey.
Name: Kelsey H.
Diagnosis:
Breast Cancer
ER+
Staging:
2B
Initial Symptom:
Slightly tender lump
Treatment:
Chemotherapy: Adriamycin, cyclophosphamide, Taxol switched to Abraxane
Surgery: double mastectomy with axillary lymph node chain removal
LaShae’s Stage 2B Multicentric ER+ IDC & DCIS Breast Cancer Story
Interviewed by: Taylor Scheib Edited by: Katrina Villareal
LaShae, a PhD student in cancer prevention research, shares her journey with breast cancer. She initially dismissed a small, movable lump she found in her breast due to her busy schedule, but when the lump grew and she felt pain, she sought medical attention.
Her doctor referred her for a breast ultrasound and mammogram, revealing multiple masses and widespread calcifications. A biopsy confirmed cancer with a high likelihood of malignancy and a breast MRI revealed the spread in her breast and lymph nodes.
She had a mastectomy on her 27th birthday. Currently undergoing chemotherapy, she continues her fitness routine despite the side effects. Her experience has deepened her commitment to cancer research, particularly for adolescents and young adults (AYAs), highlighting the importance of self-advocacy and support groups.
Name: LaShae R.
Diagnosis:
Breast Cancer
Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC)
Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)
ER+
Staging:
2B
Initial Symptom:
Lump in breast
Treatment:
Chemotherapy: TC (Taxotere and cyclophosphamide)
Proton radiation (scheduled one month after chemo ends)
This interview has been edited for clarity. This is not medical advice. Please consult with your healthcare provider to make treatment decisions.
I found a small lump about a centimeter in size… I thought I had nothing to worry about.
Introduction
I live in Miami, Florida, but I was born and raised in Nassau, Bahamas, so I am a Caribbean girl.
I’m currently doing my PhD in cancer prevention research.
Pre-diagnosis
Initial Symptoms
I found a small lump about a centimeter in size. I didn’t think much of it. I did some research and found out that if the lump was movable, it had a lower likelihood of being cancerous. At that time, mine was movable so I thought I had nothing to worry about.
I hadn’t been doing much cancer research yet. I was looking at obesity research and now I’m at a parallel where we’re looking at exercise and diet and how they can impact cancer outcomes. I was still a baby when it came to cancer research, so that’s a big reason I pushed it to the side.
When my PhD started, a lot was thrown at me at once. Anyone who has done any graduate degree knows. I wanted to be the best student that I could be and the best person I could be for the new lab that I was in, so I prioritized those.
Sadly, like a lot of us, health was put on the back burner, so I forgot about the lump. I’m also a powerlifter. I bench press close to 300 lbs, so if I feel any tension or pain in my chest area, I attribute it to that.
In late 2023, I felt a lump again and wondered if it was the same lump. To this day, I don’t know if it was, but it grew in size so I thought that something was wrong.
I felt pain and that was what alerted me. I scheduled a wellness exam, but I had to keep postponing it because I had a lot of things coming up for my degree. I finally got in to do it in early January 2024 at the student center.
She said they were only going to schedule the ultrasound because I didn’t need a mammogram. I was too young.
Breast Exam
The doctor did a pap smear, vitals, and all the basic things done at a wellness exam, but she didn’t perform a breast exam. When she was about to leave, she asked, “Is there anything pressing that you want to discuss or want me to do for you?” I mentioned the lump and she immediately took it seriously. She put on gloves and performed a breast exam.
She wasn’t sure what it was, but she put “Mass?” on the paper and said, “I’m going to go ahead and be extra cautious. I’m giving you a referral to get an ultrasound and a mammogram.” She gave me instructions on the things that I needed to do and told me where to call, which was very helpful. To this day, that visit and that doctor were a part of the team that saved my life.
Breast Ultrasound
I called to schedule my ultrasound and mammogram. The person on the phone said I was young to be scheduling a mammogram and ultrasound. She asked if I had any symptoms. When I listed them off, I mentioned that I had a palpable mass and pain. She said they were only going to schedule the ultrasound because I didn’t need a mammogram. I was too young.
I’m very persistent and cautious. At this point, I was taking this seriously. You might think that I’m wasting your time because I’m too young and you probably think I can’t get cancer, but I’m going to waste your time.
When I went in for my ultrasound, I was filling out a form and it asked if I was of Bahamian descent. Women from the Bahamas have a higher likelihood of getting breast cancer and having more aggressive cancers due to the BRCA mutation, among other mutations.
They said it would probably going to take about 15 minutes. When the tech started the ultrasound, the moment she put the wand on, her eyes became wide and the same with the person assisting her. I knew that there was something there because it was palpable, but what was going on?
The radiologist came in and said, ‘You have multiple calcifications throughout all four quadrants of your breast.’
Every time they see something, they would take a picture and measure it. They did about 10 of those. Then they asked, “How long have you had these masses?” I replied, “Masses? Plural? As far as I know, I just have one lump.”
Before the ultrasound ended, they brought in someone to do the 360° view because they said they hadn’t done that. As someone who knows about cancer and who’s pursuing cancer research, I knew it meant that it’s spread all over the place. It’s in four quadrants.
When they went over to the left, there was nothing there. It was quick. Then they came back to the right and got another person to come in and help. What was supposed to take 15 minutes is taking 45 minutes now.
I started to gather my stuff to leave and they said, “No, no, no! You can’t leave. We’re about to do a mammogram now. You need to do a mammogram.”
Mammogram
I immediately got pushed to the top of the line and had a mammogram that same day. When I was done, I started gathering my things again and they said, “No! You can’t leave. The radiologist is going to talk to you right now. They’re going to talk to you today before you leave.”
They took me to a quiet room. The radiologist came in and said, “You have multiple calcifications throughout all four quadrants of your breast.”
I couldn’t believe what I heard. I started to get dizzy. I power lift daily. A couple of weeks prior, I bench-pressed 292 lbs, squatted 440 lbs, and deadlift almost 500 lbs that I had to get drug tested.
They start looking at you with that look of pity. After that, I asked what the next step was and they said I needed to do a biopsy.
When I found out the results, I felt a little better than having all of that anxiety trying to figure out what I had.
Biopsy Results
MyChart popped up and I saw the notes from the ultrasound and mammogram. It said fine calcifications throughout all four quadrants of the breast spanning 12.7 cm. Then it said it was in my lymph nodes and that I was BI-RADS 5. I looked it up and it meant at least a 95% chance of having cancer. I’m waiting for the biopsy results and now I’m stressed out.
Diagnosis
Getting the Results
Three days later, I got a call. They said, “Hi, I’m calling about your results,” and asked if I had a place to sit. Every time, they give you hints. I said, “Let me try to find a place,” and then they said, “We can call you back if you like.” I’m like, “No, no, no, no, no, don’t call me back. You already just made my brain explode. What’s going on?” Then the doctor lets me know that she doesn’t have good results. It was malignant.
Reaction to my Stage 2 Breast Cancer Diagnosis
When I found out the results, I felt a little better than having all of that anxiety trying to figure out what I had. Hearing that was a relief. After I got the phone call, the surgeon’s office called and I made an appointment.
Breast MRI
The breast MRI was very uncomfortable. Based on the results, they let me know that it was confirmed. I do have widespread, cancerous-looking things throughout my breast and in my lymph nodes.
I had my mastectomy on my 27th birthday. At first, I was upset, but I think it’s good because I would always celebrate when they took the cancer out of my body.
Mastectomy
After the MRI, the surgeon let me know that I didn’t have that many options because it was in all four quadrants of my breast. Usually, people can do a lumpectomy or certain types of mastectomies, like skin-sparing or nipple-sparing. I had to do a simple mastectomy, so it’s a flat closure along my sternum to my underarm or axilla. I think that was better than having to make a bunch of decisions.
She also told me I would be doing a PET scan. When I got the results, it was localized to my breast and nearby lymph nodes, so that was a big relief.
Pre-surgery Tests
I did a chest X-ray, EKGs, blood work, blood typing and cross-matching, and other tests before surgery.
I also worked out a lot because I wanted to prepare my body for the battle. One of the things I learned is that as you go through treatment, your body goes through a lot and you can lose muscle, which is detrimental to your outcome. I kept powerlifting and retaining muscle right up to the surgery.
I had my mastectomy on my 27th birthday. At first, I was upset, but I think it’s good because I would always celebrate when they took the cancer out of my body. After the mastectomy, my surgeon came in and explained that she removed the cancer. Two lymph nodes were positive and from what I know, that’s a hit or miss. Based on the final pathology, I can either have chemo or not, but I would definitely need radiation.
When I got home, that’s when the side effects kicked in. Fatigue was number one. I immediately had to shower and then I fell asleep for 18 hours.
Treatment
TC Chemotherapy
I was passed off to the medical oncologist. I met with her after my surgery and she’s the one who’s going to be spearheading the chemo, radiation, and hormonal treatments.
She let me know from the get-go that I would need chemotherapy and that’s the standard of care. I also would need radiation and hormone treatment because my stage 2 breast cancer was ER+, so I’m going to need to be on hormone treatment for 5 to 10 years.
It was a toss-up between A-CT (Adriamycin, cyclophosphamide, Taxol) or TC (Taxotere and cyclophosphamide). I needed chemo because of the lymph node involvement and my age. The longer you live, the higher the likelihood of recurrence simply because you’re around longer.
I’m currently undergoing chemo. We decided to do TC based on the results from additional testing. We did a MammaPrint® and I was found to be at high risk for recurrence.
Chemo was what I feared the most from the beginning. I had to get to my first chemo appointment early because I was doing scalp cooling. It didn’t take that long and it wasn’t as scary as I thought. They give a lot of pre-medications. I had never taken Benadryl at that dose so I was dizzy and sleepy. It knocked me out.
Side Effects of Chemotherapy
Less than 24 hours after chemo, I went to the gym and power lifted because I wanted to keep doing what I do. I felt solid, but when I got home, that’s when the side effects kicked in. Fatigue was number one. I immediately had to shower and then I fell asleep for 18 hours. It was brutal.
I had GI side effects. It wasn’t good. I got a headache and my whole body felt sore. I work out a lot, so I know what soreness feels like, but it had nothing to do with my workouts. It was a general, full-body soreness that even my bones were hurting. I had to take Zoladex to preserve my ovaries so that I’m able to have children after this. A lot was going on.
The side effects lasted for about five days. Over a week after chemo, I feel great. I was able to do a workout and not crash afterward.
This has opened my eyes to a new group that I had no idea was part of a disparaged group: AYAs or adolescents and young adults.
Cancer Research
I’m in a unique situation as somebody who wants to do cancer research for their entire career and is in the middle of a PhD focused on cancer prevention. It was very surprising, but it helped me get to my diagnosis. I would not have taken this seriously or even known I had alarming signs if I didn’t have that base knowledge.
When I think about what has happened, all I think about is how I’m going to be a much better researcher. I knew I wanted to work with marginalized and disparaged communities to help those who needed help the most. I’ve always believed in doing that and helping the less fortunate.
This has opened my eyes to a new group that I had no idea was part of a disparaged group: AYAs or adolescents and young adults. I’m going to include them in anything that I do in research and want to do community work with that group because being a part of that group, I understand now that these are unique circumstances.
When you’re a young adult, you are just starting your life. When you go to the doctor’s office, you’re the youngest. When I went to one of my appointments, the medical assistant asked where the patient was. I was right there, but she didn’t expect me to be the patient. Sometimes I go with my mom and they think she’s the patient.
This is very emotional and very isolating. Cancer in itself is isolating, but you may also be the only one in your age bracket going through this. When you go to the doctor’s office, people feel sorry for you more because of your age.
My experience is going to make me a much better researcher. It’s going to make me more invested and make me an advocate. I used to want to be an advocate, but now I want to be a research advocate and living proof.
Cancer is very emotional from when you get the diagnosis and throughout the whole process. This is a journey. You go through different emotions. I deal with it by taking deep breaths. That helped a lot.
I joined my AYA support group. Joining support groups is vital because they are going through the same thing. They’re at different stages of the journey, so they’re able to guide you and help you get on track because you’re pulled in so many directions and it’s overwhelming.
Caribbean people tend to have more aggressive cancers when it comes to certain types and they’re diagnosed at younger ages.
Genetic Mutations
Caribbean people tend to have more aggressive cancers when it comes to certain types and they’re diagnosed at younger ages. At the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center in Miami, they asked me ahead of time if I was of Bahamian descent because they’re aware of this.
We’re known to have the BRCA mutation and other mutations. I got the comprehensive panel done and it turned out negative for all. I didn’t have all the common risk factors. I’m the first person in my family to ever get breast cancer, so I could not tell you at all why I got this.
Words of Advice
For patients undergoing chemotherapy, come in with an open mind. You’re going to be scared, but don’t stress out because stress is not good for you. It won’t help with your outcome.
Get some ice compression for your hands and feet to prevent neuropathy, depending on the type of chemotherapy that you’re going to have to get infused. Taxotere has been linked to neuropathy, so I did that.
Try to eat bland foods when you’re going through chemotherapy. If you don’t eat, you’re going to feel terrible. I know all these things are going on, but you’ve got to eat something. Whenever I didn’t eat, I would feel terrible. I started to feel better when I did. Nutrition is so important.
Advocate for yourself because only you know your body.
When you feel good enough, go outside and take a walk. I’m not saying do what I did 24 hours after chemo, but go out and move because it’s been linked to way better outcomes.
Advocate for yourself because only you know your body. There are a lot of professionals who are trained to diagnose. I do research and I know the statistics. But if we rely solely on the numbers, I’m not supposed to have cancer. I’m not even supposed to get screened.
No matter how young you are, make sure to go to your physical exam every year. Be in touch with your doctors. Eat well and exercise to be the strongest you that you can be.
Sherri’s Stage 4 HER2+ Metastatic Breast & Stage 3 Colon Cancer Story
Interviewed by:
Alexis Moberger
After retiring from the Air Force, Sherri became a mental health therapist and ran a private practice while being a mother to her three children. Feeling burnt out, she took a week’s trip to Costa Rica and noticed feeling out of breath.
This feeling continued when she returned home which led her to the ER where doctors discovered her oxygen levels and blood count were extremely low. After many tests and exams, a mass was found in her breast. Soon after, she was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer.
Sherri was put on 12 rounds of Herceptin chemo and began transfusions. Three months after her breast cancer diagnosis that had spread to her bone marrow, Sherri was no evidence of disease. However, doctors wanted her to undergo a colonoscopy after finding blood in her stool. The colonoscopy revealed early stage 3 colon cancer unrelated to her breast cancer.
Today, Sherri is currently undergoing Oxyplatin chemo and transfusions for colon cancer. She shares her story with us, including how she deals with anxiety, how cancer has catalyzed inner healing, her experience with chemo and its side effects, starting a podcast to spread hope, and her advice to those on their own cancer journeys.
There’s not enough hope and inspiration. That’s what I want to give to the world.
Sherri O.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length. This is not medical advice. Please consult with your healthcare provider for treatment decisions.
My name is Sherri and I am a single mom. I have 2 adult children, which is so weird to say. I have a daughter who just turned 21 in August, my other son is 19, and I have one left in school. He is a senior this year and he’s 17.
I served in the Air Force for 23 years and retired in 2017. I’m not really active in this now because of everything that happened in the last 9 months, but I became a mental health therapist. I went back to school in my 40s, got my master’s in clinical counseling, became a therapist, and ran a full private practice for about 5 years.
I have a dog named Chief and we also have a bird my daughter named Pickles. We have a cat named Maui. I had a house built a couple of years ago. We’re living in a farming community in Colorado, which I love.
What were your first symptoms?
Hindsight is 2020. I was having signs of some things that were off that I was downplaying. I thought I was healthy. I was working out, I was running my business, and I was feeling a little bit burnt out so I decided to take a trip to Costa Rica. I thought this was going to be great. I’ll take some time away from my business, settle down, and do some unwinding in a beautiful place.
I went for about a week. I did notice when I was there that I was out of breath a lot more. I was like, it’s probably the shift in altitude or maybe it’s jet lag. I went on a little bit of a hike and I was out of breath and it wasn’t too bad.
I didn’t really have anything significant happen until I got back, which is a blessing in disguise. I was walking up to the post office and I was carrying a couple of boxes and I thought I was going to pass out. My heart started beating really fast and I was like, okay, there is something really going on here. I might have a virus or something.
Taking a trip to the ER
I met one of my friends for brunch and I said, I just don’t feel right. I feel off. I’m not sure what’s going on. I came back home and I called the nurse triage line and I was telling them my symptoms. She was like, “You need to go to the ER,” so I went. I drove myself to the ER because I thought that I picked up a virus or something from Costa Rica.
I got to the ER and they were like, “Your oxygen is at 70. You have to stay here.” It was very weird. It was a whirlwind of things going on. They did blood tests and they they said that my platelets and my hemoglobin were tanking. I needed a blood transfusion. I need a platelet transfusion. It was very weird for me. I was like, What? This is insane. I felt fine two days ago.
I started getting transfusions, they admitted me to the hospital, and they were like, we don’t really know what’s going on. They did find a mass under my right breast because they were turning over everything and they were testing me for everything. We needed to do a mammogram and sent me to another hospital.
What was your diagnosis?
I got transferred to an ICU in Denver and they ended up finding out that the mass under my right breast was cancerous, and the reason why my blood was tanking was because it had metastasized to my bone marrow. After Thanksgiving, they diagnosed me with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. That was the beginning of the whirlwind story. This was November of 2022.
Did you suspect you had cancer?
It’s not anything that crossed anybody’s mind. In fact, the doctors were very focused on a parasite, on a virus, because I’m pretty healthy. I’m 52 now and I’ve always been in good shape. They were very perplexed as to what was going on. They did a really good job though of turning over everything. They tested me for everything you could think of. That’s what it ended up being, unfortunately.
Did you ever feel a lump?
They ended up finding out that the mass under my right breast was cancerous, and the reason why my blood was tanking was because it had metastasized to my bone marrow.
No, I didn’t feel anything. In fact, my last mammogram, they were like, “Your breasts are very dense.” I guess the older you get, your breasts get more dense and I never felt anything. I also had a swollen lymph node in my armpit and I just didn’t recognize any of that.
Again, hindsight is 2020 and it’s really important to check those things and to pay attention to your labs. That was one of the big things I’ve learned is that I was anemic. I had been anemic for a really long time and I just didn’t do anything about it because I just listened to what the doctor said. They’re like, “You’re fine as long as it doesn’t go below this number.” However, I think it’s really important to look at those things and to go, okay, what could I do differently to get out of anemia? It is possible to not be anemic, because I’m not anemic now, which is crazy because I was anemic almost all my life.
I didn’t. My sister was with me at the time they said that. I knew it wasn’t good, and they also said it was aggressive. They use that actual word. I just left my body. I think that being in mental health, we can go into fight or flight or freeze. I totally froze. I don’t think I was even in my body, to be honest with you. I left the building, basically.
My sister cried, and she said, “You didn’t even have a reaction.” It wasn’t hitting me. It didn’t hit me until way later. I think it took me a couple of months to really get out of the fog. Part of it was I had low blood count, so I had no energy. I was tired, I could barely walk from the couch 5 feet to the kitchen, that’s how tanked I was. I think part of that was why I didn’t have a reaction is, I was in a fog and I only wanted to rest and everything was wearing me out.
It wasn’t until a couple of months later that I attended a support group, which I wasn’t ready for. It was people that had been going through cancer and they were all younger than me. Very young. They were all at different stages. I was the only stage 4. I’m listening to their stories and I’m like, I’m doomed because they had all gone through all these things. I’m like, well, what about me? I’m stage 4. I don’t even have a chance. That’s how I was taking it. What I learned from that was, that my story is different than their story. We don’t all have the same story.
I totally froze. I don’t think I was even in my body, to be honest with you.
Learning to accept a cancer diagnosis
I had a massive breakdown, which I think needed to happen. Coming out of that, that was when I came into acceptance. I was accepting that this was what was happening and what can I do now.
The other important piece is that I’m still alive. I’m here, I’m not dead yet, so what can I do now that I’m here in this moment? I can succumb to it. Or I could just live. I started to put one foot in front of the other and go, I’m alive and I’m going to make it count. I believe that mentality has been so crucial to my healing. I don’t think I would be healed if it wasn’t for that piece of it and the attitude.
What were the first steps in your cancer treatment?
The first part was I had to have my blood levels at a certain point before they would do anything with me. They wouldn’t treat anything, they wouldn’t do surgery, nothing. They didn’t want to touch me because my blood counts were so low. To put it into perspective, my platelets were about 20,000 and to be at a healthy level, you need to have 150,000. I wasn’t even close and they were not going up very fast.
I started to get really diligent about seeing the numbers go up in my mind. I asked, what number do I need? You need at least 90,000. I started to picture 90,000 and then it happened. Then every time I would ask, what do I need next? I would visualize it and then it would happen.
Pretty soon they put me on a targeted treatment and pertuzumab and I started to get better. I kept getting better and better. Even the blood transfusions helped me to get better as well. I ended up transferring from VA in Denver to Banner MD Anderson and then they started me on Herceptin and I was on that for 12 rounds of chemo. I lost my hair. I had really long hair, and now it’s growing back, which is great.
Reframing a cancer diagnosis
I’ve had such great care from VA to Banner, everybody has been so good to me and so supportive. Sometimes the language would get to me. One of the doctors said, “It’s aggressive, you’re really sick.” She kept using those types of words and I was like, I have to switch that in my mind because if I focus on that, I’m going to be depressed. I started saying, that’s an opinion. A diagnosis is an opinion also. What can I do differently within my body, myself, and my mind? I started visualizing myself healthy and on that track, and I just kept getting better and better. Language is everything. Your words, the things that you say, really do matter.
Realize that stage 4 is not the end. I think when you hear cancer, at least when I used to hear the word cancer, I’m like, that person’s just done. It’s just not true. It’s a misconception. I’ve learned that you can still live a long time.
There’s so much misinformation. When I was first diagnosed, I was like, I got to figure this out. I started going on all kinds of crazy diets and supplements to have some sense of control. I let go of that and realized I didn’t need to do all this crazy stuff. I’m going to be okay. I’m going to live in the moment as much as I can. The truth is that nobody knows our timelines, even a doctor doesn’t really know. They can speculate. I think the most important thing is listening to yourself, and listening to what your body is saying to you, is key to the whole thing.
I’m here, I’m not dead yet, so what can I do now that I’m here in this moment?
Healing the heart
One of the things that has come up for me with all of the cancer stuff is that there were things in my body that needed to be healed. It sounds a little weird. However, I will ask my body, what does this mass mean to me? What is it wanting to tell me?
I’ve healed so many mother wounds and nurturing that I was missing. The breast is all about nurturing yourself. I wasn’t taking good care of myself like I thought I was and giving myself what I needed. I remember somebody asked, “Well, what do you need?” I automatically was like, I don’t need anything. I didn’t even check in with myself to ask myself what I needed.
Remission
Taking a sabbatical to focus on health
That’s been a whirlwind too, all the appointments. At the beginning of it, I was looking at my calendar and I was like, there are so many appointments. How is this going to work? I decided to put myself on a sabbatical, which was one of the best things I could have ever done for myself, to just stop everything else and really focus on my health.
Did your body have a positive reaction to cancer treatment?
For stage 4 HER2+ breast cancer that I have, I have to do an infusion every 3 weeks. I’m still on that every 3 weeks. I’m not done with the chemo for the breast cancer and I have had 3 PET scans since November.
I will tell you the good news, which is that the first scan was awful. They said that my bones were riddled with cancer and that it was not going away. That was in November. Then I had a scan 3 months later, in February I believe, there was no evidence of disease in my body. In that short amount of time, I have no evidence of disease in my body. Even I was like, are you sure? I was questioning it.
I had the same reaction I had when I got the diagnosis. I was numb. I didn’t have a reaction because I just didn’t believe it. I was like, how is that even possible? Two weeks later, I brought a friend with me and I said, “Can you listen for me? Be my ears?” That’s one thing I’ve also learned is you need to have an advocate. Because as a patient, you hear things totally differently than somebody outside of it. I think that’s important.
Becoming NED
I asked the nurse, “Do you call that remission? What do you call this?” She said, “No, there’s no evidence of disease.” They showed me on the scan that the mass and the swollen lymph node were gone. It still blows my mind. Those scans are every 3 months. I just had another one a couple of weeks ago and that one is also clean. There’s no evidence of disease on that one.
I had a fractured rib in January. They showed a fractured rib and they had some other stuff on the bottom of my ribs and those are completely healed as of this last scan. So the doctors are like, “You’re doing great. Your body is healing.” My infusions are every 3 weeks, which at first I was like, that sucks. However, I don’t have a lot of side effects from that infusion at all. It’s just like going and getting vitamins to me. I’m not going to lose my hair from it or anything like that.
Did you have side effects from chemo?
The chemo that I got, Herceptin, the side effects were feeling very heavy and I did a lot of resting. I didn’t have any nausea or anything like that. I didn’t have a lot of side effects. It was mainly just heaviness and wanting to lay down a lot. I didn’t do a whole lot during those 12 rounds. They were every week, so I was pretty tanked. When you do chemo, your blood levels tend to go down. I was in and out of anemia, like a roller coaster. I rested a lot during that time. I didn’t do a whole lot of anything. It wasn’t bad, it was just a blah feeling.
A couple of days later, the doctor who did the colonoscopy called and said that it looked like I had cancer. That was really shocking.
Receiving a second cancer diagnosis
The good news about the [breast cancer] diagnosis is that I’ve had 3 scans. The last 2 scans showed no evidence of disease, I didn’t have to have any sort of breast surgery, the mass that was under my right breast disappeared, and I had a swollen lymph node in my armpit that is gone. The last scan was 2 weeks ago, so this is about 9 months after diagnosis, which is incredible. I was no evidence of disease on the last round of chemo treatment that I had for breast cancer. I got to ring the bell, which was awesome.
When I first went into the hospital for breast cancer, they tested my stools. They were testing everything. In January, they found traces of blood in my stool. The oncology team didn’t want to do a colonoscopy because I was in a very vulnerable state, body-wise. They wanted to wait until after I had done the 12 rounds of Herceptin. I did all of that and I waited a little bit. Then I got scheduled for a colonoscopy and did that procedure. A couple of days later, the doctor who did the colonoscopy called and said that it looked like I had cancer. That was really shocking and I did have a breakdown right away. I reacted a lot differently than I did the first time.
The first time, I was very numb. The second time, I was really mad and upset. I did have a meltdown. Then I came out of that and I was like, okay, I don’t know where it is exactly. I didn’t have a stage yet. They wouldn’t have been able to tell me that until after the surgery. They scheduled surgery. I had a polyp that they had to remove, and I also had something in my rectum. However, they wanted to break it up into 2 different surgeries. The one in the rectal area was not cancerous at all. They took the polyp out, they tested it and it was cancerous. They also tested 35 lymph nodes. Out of the 35 lymph nodes, 2 of them were positive for cancer. They classified me as very early stage 3 colon cancer, which is totally separate from the breast. Now I’ve got the breast cancer under control and have been diagnosed with colon cancer.
How long after your first diagnosis did you receive your second diagnosis?
I was diagnosed in November with metastatic breast cancer, then I was diagnosed with colon cancer in July.
Did you suspect you had cancer again?
I kind of suspected it. Again, when you’re looking back at something, it’s easier to see it. When you’re in it, you don’t really see it. I had downplayed some of my symptoms. During pregnancy, I got hemorrhoids. I have had those off and on. A lot of times there’s a little bit of bleeding that happens when you go to the restroom but I was like, it’s just hemorrhoids. It’s no big deal. It wasn’t, it was actually colon cancer.
If I don’t do it, it’s a 50% chance that it will come back. If I do the treatment, then it’s a 10% chance. It’s better if I do the treatment even though I don’t want to do it.
I just kept downplaying my symptoms. It was a good thing that they did test that and caught it when they did. There’s a test that I highly recommend people get. It’s a Signatera test where they actually test if there’s any residual cancer in your bloodstream. I did the lab, and I did the blood test prior to the surgery and it was positive. That means that there’s cancer in the bloodstream. Then they said, “We’ll test you again afterward.” They tested me again after they took it out and it was negative, which is really a good sign that it’s not going to come back.
Did you go back on chemo after your colon cancer diagnosis?
To prevent reoccurrence, they wanted to do more chemo, which I wasn’t really happy with because I was like, I just got through this thing. I don’t want to do this again. I was in complete resistance to it. I had to really listen to my doctor. I said, “I don’t want to do this. What’s the risk-reward?” Basically, it’s 50/50. If I don’t do it, it’s a 50% chance that it will come back. If I do the treatment, then it’s a 10% chance. It’s better if I do the treatment even though I don’t want to do it. I made the choice to do it. I started it 3 weeks ago and it’s added to the infusion that I’m doing. The good news about this is that it’s only 3 months. I’m currently on that now.
Do you have a family history of cancer?
I don’t have anything genetic. I did the genetic testing and I don’t have the BRCA1 gene for breast cancer, so I don’t know. I’ve been investigating it a little bit and I’m convinced that it’s environmental. However, I don’t really know. I don’t know how to prove that. I don’t have any idea.
It is very odd that they’re 2 different separate cancers. I asked, “Is it because of the breast?” They said, “No, it has nothing to do with it.” I’m not a doctor, so I don’t know how they know all this. My instinct is that it’s environmental. I was in the military for a long time and I was exposed to fumes and asbestos and different things like that. It could be that, but I don’t know.
Quality of Life
Have you experienced side effects from your current chemo treatments?
I’m on Oxyplatin and that will be every 3 weeks. I did the first round not that long ago and my side effects are a lot different. I wasn’t expecting that. I was like, I got it. This will be a piece of cake. No, it’s actually way different. I have a lot more nausea with this drug. I have one of the things that Oxaliplatin does when you touch something cold, it burns or stings like frostbite. I do have that tingling in my fingers. I have a sensitivity to my jaw when I eat anything, it has to be very warm. Anything remotely cold sends a shock to my jaw. Sometimes I’ll have tingling in my hands and feet. That’s not too bad. The biggest thing is the nausea. It doesn’t feel great.
I eat a lot differently than I used to. I eat a lot more. I’ve actually gained weight this time, which is great because when I started the breast cancer treatment, I was 145 and I dropped to 120. When I found out that I needed to go into another round of treatment, I was like, I got to get my weight back up. I started eating differently. I went plant-based. However, I ate a lot more rice, potatoes, and carbs so that I could gain weight.
I started working out more, which has helped me tremendously get through this chemo. I’m going into this one a lot stronger. I think that the side effects are like 2 or 3 days. I haven’t had the tingling, the cold stuff doesn’t stay around. That’s been a good sign I can do this, I can get through this. I’ll be on this treatment for 3 months.
Has anything helped with the nausea?
Bananas and yogurt, for some reason, seem to be my thing. Walking and exercise actually really help with it as well. There’s an app called Couch to 5K, so I’ve been doing that. It’s basically interval training. It’ll be walk 5 minutes, run 1 minute, walk 2 minutes. It has really helped me a lot. I’ve been running a little bit more, which has been really great. I have more energy because I do that. The weight training has helped me gain weight back.
The first one, the prep was that I had to do 5 days of Ensure shakes, and that was a little rough for me because I had eliminated sugar from my diet. I didn’t eat a lot of sugar because sugar just caused my body to be more inflamed. I had to drink those for 5 days. It was 2 drinks a day and so many calories. That was the prep for the surgery. I had to do some fasting before. That surgery went really well.
I was in a lot of pain coming out of it because it was a colon resection. They took out part of my colon and resected it, put it back together. I had a very non-invasive surgery. They did robotic laser surgery. You can’t even hardly tell that I have scars, which has been really nice. I am so grateful for technology now because, if this had been in the 80s, I might not be here. We’ve come a long way in science and how much we’ve advanced. The recovery time, I was in the hospital for 5 days after that one.
Then they did the other rectal surgery separately because they just thought that doing both of them wouldn’t be a good idea. I agree because the second one was very painful to go to the bathroom. That was only a day’s procedure. I was in and out of the hospital the same day. However, my recovery time for the second one was a lot longer because of where it was. That one was a little tough for me.
I bounce back pretty fast. I think part of that was because I had gone into it with my body a lot stronger. I had gained more weight. I was exercising. I bounced back quicker because of that. They told me, “It’s going to take 6 weeks [to recover] for both,” and it was really minimal. It was maybe 3 weeks for both, so half the time.
Did you have a colostomy bag?
No colostomy bag, Nothing like that. I do have to go back and get a scope just to make sure they got everything in a couple of months. I did the blood test again, the one that I did prior to when they found out I had it. It was positive for cancer. I just did it again and it’s negative. It’s a really, really good sign and now we’re on treatment to keep it from reoccurring.
How often are you receiving scans?
I just recently did the PET scan. I’m not sure if they’re going to move me to 6 months since the last 2 were clear. With scans, you’re putting yourself in radiation, so you have to be mindful of that. I don’t know if I’m going to be every 6 months or not. I’m assuming that’s what’s going to happen. I’ve had to have some brain scans just to make sure that breast cancer doesn’t metastasize to my brain. I probably have one of those coming up. Those are every 6 months. The more you’re healing, the less you have to do.
I did go through that this last time, actually. I went through it more this time than I did the last time. The last time I was like, it’ll be what it is. I just didn’t really think about it too much. This time, I just really want a clear scan again. When you get your labs done, they look at all the cancer markers and everything has been good.
I did have a lot more anxiety come up this time, which was very interesting for me. I was walking it out and I’m like, I don’t know what I’m afraid of. I just started to ask questions. I think to alleviate anxiety is to face it versus running from it. A lot of times with anxiety it’s like, I have anxiety, I’m so anxious, take a deep breath. Well, that doesn’t really get to the root of it.
Facing anxiety
To alleviate anxiety is to face it versus running from it.
What helped me was asking really good questions like, what are you afraid of? I’m afraid it’s going to come back. If it’s going to come back, then what are you afraid of? I’m afraid I’m going to die. If you die, what else are you afraid of? I’m afraid my kids are not going to know what to do with themselves because they don’t have their mom here. Why are you afraid of that? The root of it was guilt that I hadn’t prepared them for life.
The thing that you think you’re afraid of is really not the thing. It’s important to ask those types of questions to get down to the root of it so you can pull the root out and go, okay, it’s guilt. I didn’t have any clue it was guilt. It really helped me alleviate that anxiety. Then I got a clean scan.
I say that things don’t happen to you, they happen for you. It’s a weird thing to say that I’m grateful for cancer. It’s so true though, because I have healed so many things in my body and I have more inner freedom and peace than I ever have had in my life because I started to face it versus running from it. Fear happens. It’s like, what’s going to happen to me, and what’s going to happen to my kids? All of that is real. It comes up and it’s like, I have a choice. I could either face it or I could run from it.
Another thing I heard a long time ago was, get to know fear. If you get to know it, it dissolves. It starts to melt away a little bit and it’s like, okay, I could do this. There isn’t anything to be afraid of. We’re all going to die at some point. We don’t know when. For me, it was switching to, I get to live today. I’m so grateful to be alive because, in November, I could have been dead. I appreciate that I’m alive. That’s key. I’m breathing today, so I get to live today.
I started a podcast to help other people and that’s helped me because it’s like, I’m back to life. I realized that one of the big things for me was realizing how disconnected I was spiritually. That has totally changed. I feel so much more connected to God and my faith. It wasn’t something I think I would have had with all of these things. Again, the key for me is living, being appreciative and grateful for where I’m at, and also giving. This is one of the reasons why I wanted to do this story is because I do think that we need a lot of hope and inspiration in the world, especially around cancer and people having a disease. I think this could help lots of people have hope and faith in themselves.
It’s a weird thing to say that I’m grateful for cancer. It’s so true though, because I have healed so many things in my body and I have more inner freedom and peace than I ever have had in my life.
What advice do you have for someone on a cancer journey?
The message of hope I would give is that you have to remember that your story is different than everybody else’s. I think a lot of cancer patients go into comparison – this person did that, and this person did this, and this person died, and this person didn’t. The most important thing is that your story is your story. It’s not the same as everybody else. Your body is different than everybody else’s as well. That’s why it’s so important to listen to yourself.
I had dense breast tissue and I didn’t investigate it. Look at your labs and ask lots of questions. When COVID happened, I didn’t get a physical because they wanted to do it virtually. I asked questions like, well, what am I going to do? I need a colonoscopy, I need a breast exam, and I need all these things. “Don’t worry,” they said. “Everything was fine last time, so you’ll be fine.” It can change very fast. It’s really important to investigate yourself and definitely get your exams done on time every time and ask lots of questions, especially if you’re feeling like something’s off now.
My hemoglobin was off for a long time and the doctors downplayed that. I trusted what they were saying. I think that you should trust it to an extent and also ask lots of questions because it sure helps. Now I’m very hyper-vigilant. My labs, I know exactly what they mean.
Have a lot of people around you to support you. I’ve had so much support and I have really good people in my corner where I’m like, “Hey, I need you to come with me because I don’t know how I’m going to hear it.” That’s really critical because there’s been so many times on this path where I’ve heard something and it’s not what was said. Even with the clean scan, I just heard it’s getting better. I didn’t hear that there was no evidence of disease. When my friend went with me, I asked, “Did they say what I think they said?” She said, “Yes, that’s what they said.” Having that person in your corner is really, really important.
Spreading hope and inspiration
There’s not enough hope and inspiration. That’s what I want to give to the world.
In life, we’re going to go through ups and downs anyway. Just because I have cancer doesn’t mean I’m different than anyone else. We still all go through things and we’re all going to have ups and downs in life. The only guarantee about life is it changes all the time. We’re all going to go through something.
I think that it’s important to be kind to yourself and give yourself what you need. That’s one thing I’ve learned, I have to check in with myself and go, what is it that you need? Don’t dismiss what you need. If somebody asks you what you need, tell them because people want to give you what you need. I think that’s really helped me to navigate this.
A really good attitude has been appreciating where I’m at. I could make the choice to be in a corner and curl up in a ball. By giving back to the community, by sharing my story doing the podcast and videos, or whatever I can do to get the message out, I’m going to do it. Because there’s not enough hope and inspiration. That’s what I want to give to the world is more of that versus doom and gloom.
Wherever your focus is, if you’re looking at all the train wrecks, that’s what you’re going to get. Look at where all the miracles are happening. I would prefer to see that.
