Meet Ilona
“I remember exactly where I was when I found out I had breast cancer. It was for sure the worst day of my life.”
Ilona was monitoring a lump in her breast when a second was discovered in August 2019, at 29
In September, a biopsy confirmed her diagnosis of invasive ductal carcinoma. “It really put a lot of perspective on my life,” she said. “It let me slow down for a moment and figure out what’s most important, which was my health.”
Ilona’s treatment came during the most demanding year of her nurse anesthesia doctorate program. She underwent a unilateral mastectomy followed by four months of chemotherapy. After experiencing ongoing side effects from ovarian suppression, including medical menopause and brain fog, Ilona’s doctor recommended she take a break from the medication, which allowed her to get pregnant naturally. “Being pregnant was the most amazing time of my life,” she said.
Now a proud mom to two young children, Ilona continues to receive regular screenings every six months. In October 2026, she celebrated seven years of survivorship. “I live in the present,” she said. “I try not to focus on the negative or the scary parts.”
My dream was always to have kids. That’s been my biggest, biggest blessing. And it feels good to be on the other side of treatment.
