MEET LEXIE
My name is Lexie Appleby, and I'd like to introduce myself by sharing a few of my titles - I am a wife, sister, friend, dog mama, former NFL Cheerleader, Director of Fun, daughter to a breast cancer survivor, and proud survivor myself. Though I proudly go by many names, there is one thing I am not - I am not cancer.
On December 1, 2022, I was officially welcomed into the breast cancer community when I received confirmation that, at just 28-years-old, the masses found in my left breast were cancerous. Though completely shocked that this could happen, especially at my age, I decided that cancer would not define me.
“Cancer is a part of my life, but it is not my life.”
The past two years have been nothing short of a whirlwind. I had my mastectomy on December 20, 2022, completely removing my left breast, and leaving my right, so that there is still the possibility of being able to breastfeed one day. After receiving a range of diagnoses and potential options for future treatment, in February 2023, it was concluded that my breast cancer was labeled as Stage 1B.
As a precaution, it was also recommended that I have my eggs frozen as I dream of becoming a mom and there is a chance that my current medications and treatment plan may impact my reproductive system. I am now in menopause at 30-years-old, but I am grateful that I am officially in complete remission! Since the day of my diagnosis, I have been to hundreds of doctor's appointments, but that has not stopped me from living the rest of my life.
Amidst a cancer diagnosis, I moved across the country as my husband relocated for work just weeks after my mastectomy. We bought our first house, became Alabama residents, welcomed a puppy into our home, continued working our full-time jobs, I worked back up to my fitness regiment following my mastectomy and reconstruction, and rededicated my life to Christ.
Through all of this pain, I have found so much purpose. I may be down one breast, but that hole has been filled with a whole lot more faith and perspective about what's most important in life. I couldn't be more grateful for the doctors, nurses, family and friends that have walked alongside me throughout this chapter and to be able to look at life and find blessings in every single day. I choose to see the glass half full as often as possible.
“I choose to turn this test into my testimony. I choose to put faith over fear.”
Every step of this journey has taught me resilience, hope, and the power of community. Cancer may have changed my life, but it also gifted me with a new perspective, a deeper sense of purpose, and the courage to share my story.
We are all capable of turning our toughest battles into our greatest sources of light—because even in the darkest moments, there is always a way to sparkle.
