Most Searched
Originally published September 30, 2024
Last updated October 2, 2024
Reading Time: 4 minutes
Search more articles
News & Magazine
Topics
See All Topics expand_more
See Fewer Topics expand_less
Three days before my 38th birthday, I was told: “You have breast cancer.”
Everything I had heard about breast cancer prior to my diagnosis was that 1) it is a disease that primarily affects older women, and 2) a mammogram will detect breast cancer. I was wrong on both counts.
My first inkling that something was wrong came in December 2021 when I felt a hard lump on my left breast. I went to my doctor and got scheduled for a mammogram. I was assured that since I had no family history of breast cancer and was not yet 40, there was probably nothing to worry about. The mammogram didn’t detect any abnormalities either. At that point, I was advised to come back for another mammogram when I was 40 or if there was a change.
Fortunately, I did not wait until I was 40 to come back. I sought treatment just four months later after waking up one morning with a discharge out of my nipple. Shortly after that, I was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer, an extremely aggressive form of breast cancer.
Following my diagnosis, I learned that I carry the BRCA2 gene, which increases my chances of developing breast cancer, ovarian cancer and various other cancers.
I began treatment. I underwent 14 rounds of chemotherapy and immunotherapy, a double mastectomy with reconstructive surgery and a preventative hysterectomy. This November, I will be two years cancer free.
I am so thankful I did not wait until I was 40 to go back to the doctor — that I trusted my instinct that something was wrong when I noticed the change in my breast. Pushing myself to seek treatment despite the fear I felt was probably the bravest thing I have ever done.
When people ask me what I wish I had known prior to my diagnosis, there are four simple answers I always give:
I work hard to educate other women, particularly those under the age of 40, about breast cancer by volunteering my time with various organizations. I am a huge advocate of genetic testing. Had I known there were tests available to check for any genetic mutations, I would have done them years ago and worked hard to prevent cancer from forming. My BRCA2 mutation increased my chances of developing breast cancer to over 80%, whereas the average woman’s chance of developing breast cancer in the United States is 12.5%. This is a huge discrepancy, but outside of the breast cancer community, I don’t know anyone who talks about this.
Lastly, I am so grateful to be alive, to be with my husband and my family and to live a life full of joy. I thank my oncologist, Dr. Louis Vandermolen at USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center in Newport Beach, for not only saving my life but for seeing me as a person first and a patient second.
Share
Telehealth appointments are available.