My husband, Matt, and I had been married four years when we decided to start our family and were lucky enough to get pregnant quickly. We were thrilled and nervous about being first-time parents, and all of the grandparents were anxiously awaiting their first grandchild.
In November of 1999, while five months pregnant, I found a lump while performing a breast self-exam (BSE). I had learned of the importance of BSEs in college through my philanthropy work with my sorority, Zeta Tau Alpha. I showed my obstetrician what I had found at an appointment a week later, and, thankfully, she took it seriously. A week later a biopsy confirmed I had invasive ductal carcinoma. To hear the words you have breast cancer is life altering to say the least. I could not understand how a baby could be thriving in my body, while this cancer was trying to kill me. We visited with several doctors before making a final decision on treatment. I opted for a mastectomy since I could not have the radiation that is required with a lumpectomy during the pregnancy. I also could not have reconstruction at the time of surgery because they would not have been able to match my normal breast size.
Because of the aggressiveness of the tumor, I had to start chemotherapy during the pregnancy. At the time, there were only 40 cases in the national registry of women who had been treated for breast cancer while pregnant. All of the babies had been born healthy but, in many cases, prematurely. Thankfully, I tolerated the treatments extremely well. The day after I finished my last treatment, I unexpectedly went into labor. Our son, Parker was born five weeks early, but he was completely healthy and had a beautiful head of hair. Parker is now an active, healthy child who has many questions about his unusual beginning.
Proving that life goes on after a breast cancer diagnosis, Matt and I welcomed a daughter, Emma, in April 2003. This was a surprise pregnancy, but I could not have planned it better. It was so wonderful to experience a ''normal'' pregnancy and breast feed her from my remaining breast. My family is now complete, and, God willing, I look forward to many years with them.
Updated January 2009
In 2004, after much thought and research, I made the very personal decision to have a prophylactic mastectomy on my opposite breast to reduce my risk of a new cancer and had bilateral reconstruction with implants. Though they are not quite the same as real breasts, I appreciate remaining perky as I age!
Feeling the need to do more, three young breast friends and I decided to write a book titled Nordie's at Noon: The Personal Stories of Four Women "Too Young" for Breast Cancer to educate others that young women can and do get breast cancer and to support other young survivors. Nordie's at Noon shares our stories as four young professional women diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 30 or younger. We were all at different phases of our life, but we now shared this common bond. Once a month, we met at Café Nordstrom's for lunch. It was our special place to laugh, cry, support and educate each other—and celebrate the journey of life after a cancer diagnosis. Hearing from women that because of our book they are now being advocates for their own health or that they felt less alone and more grateful for each day, made all the hard work worth it.
Today, I volunteer for YSC through the Point of Contact Program, in hopes of making the journey a little bit easier for other young women. I also enjoy participating in YSC's advocacy efforts to get the funding and research we need to better understand this disease in young women and, ultimately, the cure before my daughter ever has to think about it. I am honored to be a part of this sisterhood of amazing women that I did not ask to be initiated into. As I think about reaching my ten-year mark this November, I am filled with gratitude for each day and can't think of a better way to celebrate this big milestone than by participating in Tour de Pink 2009.
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To see the newsletter, go to Youngsurvival.org.
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