Shannon is the third woman in her family to be diagnosed with breast cancer. “I remember hearing about methods where mountain climbers will look ahead to a specific spot on their trail and make a goal to just get to that next spot,” she said. “This is what I did during my treatment and continue to do. I envisioned the top of a mountain being the end of chemo, as that was one of my biggest mountains to climb.”
Far from her family in Brazil, Juliana was living in the U.S. with her infant son when she learned she had breast cancer. “The only thought that crossed my mind was I had to have this ‘thing’ out of my body as soon as possible,” she recalled. “I needed to see my son grow up.”
In March 2022, Stephanie Hargis felt a lump in her right breast. “I went to the doctor, but I really thought, along with the nurses and doctors, that it was just a swollen lymph node,” Stephanie said. Breast cancer didn’t cross her mind. “The lump was painful, but I don’t have a family history and I was only 25.”
Scientists and doctors from around the world recently gathered for the 2023 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress, which took place Oct. 20-24 in Madrid, Spain. Here, researchers present their latest findings that have the potential to change the standard of care for patients here in the United States. This year’s meeting was full of exciting news for breast cancer.
Through her new Komen-funded study, Komen researcher Erika Crosby, Ph.D., is hoping to answer these questions, with a goal of improving treatment outcomes for obese women with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), especially Black women. Dr. Crosby, who is an assistant professor at Duke University and an immunologist, is dedicated to improving the effectiveness of immunotherapies and ensuring breast cancer research is representative and beneficial to all.
Join us on a transformative journey with Alexandra Spinner, a fitness advocate who faced a metastatic breast cancer diagnosis in 2019. Discover her holistic approach to surviving and thriving, embracing “survival of the wisest” as she shares invaluable insights into fitness, self-care, and resilience. Alexandra’s story will inspire you to start small, prioritize your health, and find empowerment, even in the face of adversity.
Getting her kids involved in a fundraiser to help support Susan G. Komen was a no-brainer for Megan Fleming. But what set this fundraiser apart from others is how close to home it hit, as Megan was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2023.
Jaya Kataria’s son, Rishi, was just 13 when she was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer. After watching her perseverance in the face of her illness, Rishi knew he wanted to give back to the breast cancer community, which is when he launched Pillars of Hope and began making candles to raise money to support Susan G. Komen’s mission to end breast cancer forever.
With your support, Susan G. Komen can fund lifesaving research and provide ongoing support and critical assistance to people with breast cancer. When you make an end of year gift, Komen’s Board of Directors will match it.
Nothing prepared Bola for a breast cancer diagnosis. In 2021, Bola learned she had right ductal carcinoma in situ and left invasive lobular carcinoma breast cancer. “Even my prior experience as an oncology nurse did nothing to prepare me for the reality of facing my own diagnosis,” Bola said. “It’s been intense.”
Ryn learned she had breast cancer at age 38. “I was fit, took care of myself and had no history of breast cancer in my family,” she said. “I was devastated. I went from my strongest to my absolute weakest in what seemed like overnight.”
In the collective effort to create a world free from breast cancer, every story, every experience and every voice matters. One such voice that has been pivotal in shaping the narrative and enhancing awareness about breast cancer inequities is that of Marian Johnson-Thompson, Ph.D.
