Inspirational Stories

I was diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) on April 3, 2023.

I had just gotten married in June 2022, and my husband and I were ready to start a family and our life together. I turned 40 years old in July 2022, so I scheduled my first mammogram. My OBGYN wrote a prescription for a sonogram as well considering I have dense breasts. I would have never realized that I needed both if I had not been advised. My cancer would not have been detected with just a mammogram.

My mammogram and sonogram came back normal with a small mass in my right breast. I was told to come back in six months but not to worry. At that point, there were absolutely no masses in my left breast. Within those six months, my left breast became, for lack of a better term, deformed. My nipple became introverted. I wanted to make excuses for what it might be, but my husband and a friend that I had confided in were concerned. They urged me to make an appointment right away, which I did, and I am forever grateful for that. I have heard so many women say that they have not had a mammogram after 40 years old. In addition, women are having children in their 40s more often. I have heard many women say that they either don't have time for a mammogram or they simply cannot get one because they are breastfeeding. I always thought I was immune because breast cancer does not run in my family, but after another sonogram and biopsies, I was diagnosed with lymphoma of the left breast. I did not even know that existed.

I am currently done with chemotherapy and receiving prophylactic treatment for my brain. Unfortunately, with this type of cancer, the next place it spreads is the brain.

There is no doubt that these seven months have been incredibly difficult. I still don't even know if I have come to terms with everything. Chemotherapy is brutal, physically and emotionally, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. The reason why I want to share my story is to urge people to be advocates for their own health. We often rely on severe symptoms and doctors to tell us that something is wrong, or we shrug symptoms off and try to justify them. We need to start listening to our bodies and fighting for an answer. My cancer developed in less than six months. I am able to tell my story because I had people in my life pushing me to get answers right away! Not everyone has that! So, I am here to tell you to rely on yourself and be the “CEO” of your health. It is far better to detect something early and begin treatment. It will be hard, but like I said, there will be light at the end of the tunnel. When you feel down and wonder why this happened to you, just know that you are not alone. We are all fighting together.