Before I was diagnosed with Stage II estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer, I lived a pretty well-rounded life. I’m still getting used to my new normal.
When I was growing up in Philadelphia’s Olney-Feltonville neighborhood, my grandmother made sure I knew how to run a household. She taught all of her grandchildren how to do essential household tasks, like sewing and cooking. I always looked forward to the day when I’d get to follow in her footsteps and pass these skills along to my son, Alex.
But when I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 at age 43, I found myself worried about whether I would be able to carry on family traditions like this.
As a cancer survivor of over 20 years and as a mother who lost a daughter to cancer, I can say with certainty that cancer does not discriminate. Prior to my diagnosis, there was no family history of cancer and I always lived a healthy lifestyle, yet this disease affected me. A diagnosis can sneak up on anyone, regardless of how healthy they appear.
I remember lying on the operating table before surgery, worrying about what was going to happen next. My breast was trying to kill me but it had still been difficult to make the decision to undergo a mastectomy.
