My story is simple. I went for my annual mammogram and the moment no one wants to hear from my radiologist, to whom I've seen for many years and trusted, is "I see something suspicious". He later showed me the xray and I immediately went to a breast surgeon who did a needle biopsy and found this suspicion to be DCIS encapsulated calcification, to finding an oncologist to one week later my first lumpectomy followed by a second for cleaner margins. Seven weeks of radiation followed and I was soldiering through this experience like a tooth extraction, you just do it. Once treatment was completed did I find time to reflect and begin to see my life through a different lens, my psychotherapy practice was very fulfilling, finding my voice through my cabaret performances, spending delicious time with my granddaughters, appreciating my then 42 year marriage, soon to celebrate our 50th and spending time with my 97 year old father. I appreciate every day and life after diagnosis can be one to celebrate.

It was 2 months after my wedding & this lump in my right breast had been bothering me, not physically, but just knowing it was there didnt feel right! It felt like a muscle that had grown & as I'd been working out a lot before my wedding for fabulous wedding dress arms, i thought nothing of it.

After a couple of months i went to the doctors who straight away referred me to a breast specialist & after a week of intense biopsy's, mammograms, MRI scans i was diagnosed with DCIS of the right breast. DCIS is very early stages of breast cancer, pre cancerous cells just waiting to turn.. & the only treatment needed would be a double skin saving mastectomy & reconstruction + removal of lymph node in right arm pit to check no cancer cells had spread. Surgery was to take place January 4th, 2months after first diagnosis.

After completion of surgery & everything tested negative, no further treatment was needed & after weeks of recovery, am now in good health. My next part of the reconstruction takes place in a couple of weeks June 1st - this consists of nipple reconstruction & fat transfer.

The past few months have been a very emotional traumatic time, but i feel so lucky and thankful i check my boobs regularly & caught it at the very early stages.

I have written a blog to raise awareness to other young woman, preventative treatment is the best form of survival! You can google me jojolev@blogspot.com

I'm right here, standing beside you--holding you up as the tiredness of your last chemotherapy treatment is taking over. Now is the time to lie down and rest, and My Angels will be watching over you. Rest is healing. I am right beside you.

I'm right here, behind you--giving you gentle pushes forward since you are not feeling as strong in yourself today.

I'm right here, in front of you--leading the way over this rough cancer road for you, helping to make it a little more bearable.

I'm right here, inside you--as difficult as your journey is for you, you can still reach out and help others. I will help you to accomplish more than you thought possible.

I'm right here. I am your boss. I am your father. I love you like no other can.

And in the fall of 2010, while I was in treatment for breast cancer, He was right there in answer to my prayer--I wanted to help other women as they, too, traveled their own unique cancer journeys.

He is here when I ask Him to help me author special letters and testimonials.

He is right here, answering prayers that I have not even though to say yet.

He is right here, meeting every need I have in order to administer The Sparkle Caps Project, as we uplift, empower, love and pray for other women through sponsored Sparkle Caps gift bags.

He is right here, helping me to tell other women that, in spite of our hair loss, we are HOT CHICKS.

WHERE ARE YOU? I am in you! And I am in you! And I am in you! I know your pain. I know your fears. Trust in Me and trust the plan that I have for you!

I was a 44 year old single mom, with sole custody of a wonderful son, just laid off from the space center when I went to my oncologist expecting to hear I had breast cancer, just like every woman on my side of the family. My mom was a survivor, I knew I would be too. Imagine my surprise when I was told I had been misdiagnosed by several years and my cancer was already in my blood and bones and my PET had lit up the machine. I had an immediate transfusion, radiation on my back and hip where huge clusters of cancer cells were, and began radiation. Ive been thru 4 kinds of chemo, including in office and pills. Ive taken Xgevia every single month and was getting Aranesp shots weekly. More recently we found cancer cells in the backs of my eyes and an MRI after that radiation revealed 3 lesions in my brain, so we started radiation over my whole brain just after Christmas 2012. This time my hair is not growing back. My son is now almost 15 and is a big help to me. He is in ROTC and Civil Air Patrol and plans to go into the Air Force. I am now 47 and making arrangements for my son to live with my brother if I get worse. Im back to transfusions every 4-5 weeks and doing chemo for the rest of my life. I am not giving up and as hard as it gets, I keep pushing on. I have to for my son. My friends say they think I am so strong, but I dont see it that way. I believe God still has a plan for me and Im not finished yet. I have a lot of people praying for me and I truly believe those prayers are what keeps me going. Im praying for all my sisters fighting the good fight out there too.

After I found a strange lump in my breast sticking out and clearly visible (did it grow up overnight?), I knew this is not good. I lived in the US back then, but I decided to fly back home to Europe to have it checked out. The doctor did biopsy, but it came back negative. For some unclear reason I didn't believe it and insisted on removing it even though it meant to reschedule my return flight and calming my angry husband who thought I am crazy.The pre-surgery pathology came back negative again. I slowly slipped into believing that I must be indeed crazy. On top of that, they removed a big chunk of my breast. When I came back to have my stitches removed, I was told the very rare and very aggressive CCC diagnosis.No one saw it before in that (big) hospital. We got second, third opinion; finally the Czech,the US and the Swiss doctors united on the diagnosis and treatment. I got very strong chemo and 7 weeks of radiation which I finished few months ago. I never ever wore a wig because I wanted to raise awareness (especially here in Europe) that young people can get cancer too. It took a lot of courage, and I decided I need to do even more. Because I am psychologist, I am especially interested in the emotions and in the treatment aftermath. I am still not out of the woods, but I am trying to make the best out of life I can. I created Cancership site to share my experience which is a big step for me because I am rather shy and private person, but if something changed during the treatment, then it was the need of talk out and bring more awareness to this. I am planning on working with oncology patients as well.I wish I could say I will be cancer free forever now, but I know it is long distance run. I am just waiting for my genetic results to come back.I call the picture PRE, DURING, AND AFTER :)

I was diagnosed with breast cancer in June 2008, right after I turned 53. I found the lump myself and pretty much knew it was cancerous before the doctor confirmed it. Soon thereafter, I was told I would need chemo. To tell you the truth, I don't know which affected me more - hearing the word cancer or hearing the word chemo. I was pretty upset, but I must tell you, it was a rough journey made easier by family, friends, and God. I count myself blessed because what they first thought was triple negative turned out not to be. So, I went through chemo, radiation, and an HER2 treatment. I started losing my hair soon after I started chemo so I became proactive and had a friend cut my hair off; it hurt emotionally, but I felt like I was taking control. It's five years later now, and I'm doing great. My hair grew back quickly, longer than it was, and it's like I never had cancer. I truly believe the answer is a positive attitude and prayer. I am truly blessed.

I found out at age 28 I have stage 4 metatastic breast cancer. The first thoughts that went through my head were "omg, my babies!" I have 3 children under the age of 8. I am currently going through chemo, we are 3 months in. The cancer has spread to my bones. We will end up doing a double mastectomy and most likely a hysterectomy. Believe it or not, my children have been more than supportive and a the biggest insperation yet to keep fighting. I have a wonderful family, and amazing friends who are by my side day and night through of all of this! We can fight! We WILL find a cure!

Hola, mi nombre es Luz Hurtado, en diciembre del 2012 me entere que tenia cancer de seno, fue horrible la noticia para mi flia. y yo, tuvimos unos dias terribles, pero nuestra confianza en Jehova Dios, me llevo a buscar un buen cirujano, dimos con una excelente Dra, Michele Blackwood, el seguro medico me cubria esta cirugia, pero no la reconstruccion, esta Dra, me recomendo a los Drs. Cyrus Loghmanee y Dean R.Cerio, (cirujanos plasticos) ellos al ver mi tristeza por no tener medios economicos para costear esta cirugia y al mismo tiempo ver la confianza que tenia en Dios, mi positivismo y deseos de mejorarme, decidieron hacerme todo lo que tuviera que ver con mi reconstruccion, aceptaron el seguro medico que yo tenia, fue una gran alegria, lloraba como una nena y mi esposo tambien al ver la generosidad de estos medicos, Jehova Dios me habia mandado dos hermosos ANGELES, no lo podiamos creer, el Dr. Cyrus me abrazo y me dijo que querian verme feliz y bonita para mi familia, ya llevo casi dos meses de operada y mi Oncologo me dio la noticia que el resultado de la patologia salio que ya estoy LIBRE DEL CANCER, OHHH que alegria Dios Mio,no necesito Quimioterapia ni radiaccion, ni la medicina de los 5 anos, ha sido un Milagro de Dios, y hoy quiero decirles a todas las personas que tienen esta enfermedad, que tengan Fe, Valor, y mucha Confianza en Jehova Dios, pues El, es el unico que todo lo puede, hoy le doy gracias a Ustedes por permitirme contar mi historia, doy gracias a Jehova Dios, a mis Hijas Katherine y Laurita, a mi esposo Luis Alfonso y a todas las personas que Oraron por mi!!! Gracias, Gracias mil Gracias, GRACIAS A DIOS HOY SOY SOBREVIENTE DEL CANCER!!!!! AMEN!!!

From the moment the words you have breast cancer come out of your doctor's mouth your whole world is flipped upside down. Being a working single mother at 27 years old the last thing on your mind would be the worse is about to appear. I was diagnosed December 4, 2012 and started treatment almost immediately. Since I was diagnosed with triple negative invasive ductal carcinoma they wanted to start an aggressive treatment. I had four harsh treatments followed by the choice of bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction. After the first four treatments I was told that it had a great response and there was no trace of tumor left. Continuing treatment and being a busy mom is difficult, but there is something about looking into the eyes of that young child knowing they are the reason for your toughest fight.

One would not think about being diagnosed at such a young age and having your whole world flash before your eyes. I always heard about cancer and thought how sad it was but since there has not been any in my family history I didn't think for one moment it would happen to me. Having been diagnosed has taught me to be a stronger woman, and not to sweat the small things in life. Never take any day for granted and always live each day to the fullest. At first I thought about the worries of not possibly being able to have more children or that I may not find someone that loves me through my wounds and scars, but I now believe that the right person will.

Cancer has been my job for the last 4 yrs. diagnosed with stage 3 and now stage 4 triple negative bcancer. Ive become good at my job or being a patient. Six kinds of chemos,radiation,mastectomy and now most recently just went through a pulminary embolisim in lung. I am 41 now and ask where has my life gone. I know we read triumphant stories of bravery, but most of us are just hanging on by a thread yet the will to survive. I've learned it's ok to cry and if people tell you, but stay positive. I say maybe today I feel like punching my pillow and crying, not feeling sorry for myself but just because I can. The photo I posted most current and months after 3 go round with chemo, faking the to look good is to feel good and 2 days before my PE. Most of the times I don't look good or feel good. My advice is we can not be an experiment any longer to see what drugs work or don't. That magic pill or cure is in our reach but we have to climb a mountain to get it. I am trying and willing to! I am a dancer/choreographer and expressing my story though movement is a great gift. I know 4 years is long some women don't get that time but this girl is no where ready to hang it up. I want to dance,create live,love and watch my beautiful niece" My Amazing Grace "grow up. I wish I can say I am cancer free today,but I am working on that. Tune in, maybe there is a happy ending. One thing I know Through every test,treatment,surgery,hospital stays,God was there holding my hand and he continues to and is always guiding me.I am blessed!