Being diagnosed with breast cancer when my son was just 9 months old and still breastfeeding was a complete shock. When I first found the lump I thought it was a plugged milk duct and nothing to worry about. After an ultrasound, biopsy, and lumpectomy I was diagnosed with Stage 2 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma and told I would need to undergo chemotherapy, radiation, and hormone therapy.
From the beginning of my cancer journey I have been determined to find the light and the humour in everything that is happening to me. It is how I find strength. Chemo was hell to say the least and even when my first round was during the great TP shortage of 2020 I still managed to laugh.
Ishrat was diagnosed with breast cancer in March of 2019. When she first heard the news from the doctor, she was very shocked because she did not expect it at all. Ishrat was worried about how she was going to give this news to her kids – especially her daughter, Kanta because after her divorce she changed a lot and I did not know how she would react.
It all started with Darcey being tired all the time as well as developing different health problems. Darcey then had an allergic reaction and her tongue swelled up. The emergency room doctor noticed she had swollen lymph nodes in her neck and that it had not been picked up in a previous CT scan from 2 years earlier.
After hearing from her family doctor, “I don’t think it’s cancer, it’s soft like nose not hard like forehead”, the hardest question Sherise ever answered was from the surgeon “You’re here alone?” because she wasn’t expecting him to have results yet.
“You have cancer”! The three scariest words Carrie unexpectedly heard one beautiful Saturday after her first mammogram. Immediately, her life was turned upside down. She felt like there had to have been a mistake. Carrie never felt sick, did CrossFit nearly every day, followed a very healthy diet and lifestyle. How could this happen?
Andrea’s cancer began with increasing pain in her hips and ribs which were multiple fractures. Prior to multiple myeloma, she was utilizing her social work degree, and experience with horses to develop and deliver an equine therapy program while starting grad studies.
2017 was certainly a memorable year.
In May that year Val’s wife was diagnosed with stage 2 lung cancer. After a partial lung removal in June, she returned home to recover and two days later Val found a breast lump. It was confirmed as breast cancer on July 11th and on August 14th she had a mastectomy with a few minor complications.
Susan felt like she was finally getting her life established as a single woman: bought her own home, had a job she loved designing and building the displays for the Enchanted Forest, and had her two best supporters – her fur babies. In October of 2018 her world was turned upside down when she was diagnosed with triple negative invasive mammary carcinoma (a type of breast cancer).
At the age of 30, Stacy found a lump while showering. Despite seeing multiple doctors it took almost a year to be diagnosed with cancer. Stacy regrets not fighting for a diagnosis sooner but has come to learn that this is not uncommon in young women with no family history of breast cancer.
