Jessica was 30 when she learned she had breast cancer. “I had so many emotions all at once and was overwhelmed with new information,” she said. “How could I have breast cancer at such a young age? What did the diagnosis mean? What was I supposed to do next?”

Alison was pregnant with her second child when she was diagnosed with stage 2B breast cancer in 2021. “Treatment is over, but I still deal with side effects,” she said. “Every day it’s a mental game not to get bogged down.”

Kate was 13 weeks pregnant when she learned she had triple negative breast cancer. “I was pretty sure I was going to die and my baby was going to die, too,” she said. “It was a truly frightening time.”

Silvia was just 25 when she learned she had stage 2 breast cancer. “I thought ‘am I going to die?'” she said. “Cancer is a terrible and devastating illness…but my body resisted and I’m still fighting. I’m still waking up everyday.”

In late 2013, Janet was diagnosed with stage 0 breast cancer and underwent a mastectomy. Two years later, Janet was devastated to learn the cancer had not only returned, but was stage 4 (metastatic), for which there is no cure. “I thought no, no, this is not happening,” she said.

Rinaa is a two-time breast cancer survivor. She was initially diagnosed in 2018 and in 2021 learned the cancer had recurred. ” Join a support group after diagnosis. That does not make you feel alone,” she said. “I have met so many amazing women who support me and truly understand me.”

In February 2022, Christine learned she had stage 3 ER+, PR+, HER2- breast cancer. Her treatment included chemotherapy, radiation therapy and a bilateral mastectomy. “I’m going to live, and I’m going to make lots of new memories with my friends and family,” Christine said. “I’m reveling in the news that my nasty, gnarly, Earth-shattering cancer is just a lump in the road.”

Taylor’s grandmother, mother and aunt all passed away from breast cancer. When Taylor was 18, she tested positive for the BRCA2 gene mutation. At 25, she underwent a prophylactic mastectomy. “Breast cancer changed the way my family looks and it’s changed the way my family thinks,” she said.

Denise Jones-Thorn learned she had stage 2 breast cancer in November 2020. “My life changed forever,” she said. “This was the hardest thing I’ve had to do in my life.”

Loretta’s mammogram was on a Friday. On Monday, her doctor’s office called and asked her to come back in for a 3D mammogram and an ultrasound. A week later, Loretta was diagnosed with stage 2 triple negative breast cancer. “When I got the call to come back for the 3D mammogram, I tried my best to stay positive,” Loretta said. “But when I got the diagnosis, I was mad. Why this? Why now?”