MEET ASHLEY
My name is Ashley. In December of 2021, at 32 years old, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I wasn’t receiving yearly mammograms, because of my age, and I wasn’t doing self-checks, like we all should. By the grace of God, I somehow found the lump and found it early.
I wasn’t initially concerned, but my husband urged me to go get it checked out. They got me in the next day. From there, I was sent to get a mammogram, then an ultrasound, and finally a biopsy.
After all the testing that followed, it was Stage IA invasive ductal carcinoma. I had a 2.3cm tumor that was ER/PR+ and HER2- with no node involvement. I had none of the gene mutations that would increase my risk of breast cancer. One month after my diagnosis, I had surgery to remove the lump and two lymph nodes. Two months after that, I started 24 rounds of radiation. I’m now taking tamoxifen and will be for the next 10 years.
Not one doctor, nurse, or radiologist that I saw before diagnosis showed any concern that it would be something other than a fibroadenoma. Because of that, I wasn’t concerned either. When the results of the biopsy popped up, I was in complete shock. I don’t know if words can properly express the feelings and emotions that instantly hit me when I read the word carcinoma. It was unexpected and terrifying.
When I first received the diagnosis, I didn’t know anything other than I have cancer. My thoughts were all over the place. I thought about my three-year-old son and my husband. I couldn’t imagine my son growing up without me. I spent a few days being sad and feeling all the emotions, but I decided I didn’t want to spend my days that way. I didn’t want to be sad or feel sorry for myself, so I decided from that point on I was going to be as strong, positive, and go about my life as normal as possible. This wasn’t going to break me. Leaning on God, family, and friends helped me get through and maintain my positivity.
Going through this I learned that cancer really does not discriminate. Even though 1 in 8 women will get breast cancer in her lifetime, you never think it will be you. I maintain a healthy lifestyle through exercise and diet, I don’t smoke, I had no genetic mutations, and I was only 32 years old. Cancer didn’t care about any of that.
I would urge everyone to do their self-checks regularly, regardless of how low you think your risk may be. Early detection saves lives. My journey could have been very different had I not found it when I did.
This experience has also changed the way I think and feel emotions. The little things just don’t matter much anymore. I feel even more empathy towards others. You truly have no idea what someone else is going through. They may look and seem fine on the outside, but there could be a storm on the inside that you know nothing about.
To anyone just receiving a breast cancer diagnosis, it is not a death sentence. I know it’s absolutely terrifying when you first receive the diagnosis, but just breathe. Research and treatment options have come a long way. Never lose hope!
