Meet Jeanelle
“I’m never going to be done with breast cancer because it’s part of me, but I’m not alone. Neither are you.”
Jeanelle struggled to be heard by doctors until that changed in July 2022, at 33
For two years, Jeanelle struggled to convince her doctor something was wrong. “I asked if it could be breast cancer, but my doctor said no, I was too young for that.” It wasn’t until Jeanelle felt a lump in her breast that she was taken seriously. She had a diagnostic mammogram and a breast ultrasound. A biopsy confirmed she had stage 3 triple negative breast cancer. “I was told my diagnosis the same day my dad died,” Jeanelle said.
Jeanelle’s treatment included chemotherapy and a bilateral mastectomy. She developed neuropathy and went into medical menopause. At first, Jeanelle tried to keep her diagnosis from her daughter, Laila. “Once I started to lose my hair, I explained to her that I was getting sicker to get better,” Jeanelle said. She was relieved when Laila responded with resilience and humor.
“Laila is why I share my story,” Jeanelle said. Because of Jeanelle’s early-onset diagnosis, Laila’s doctor recommended she consider genetic testing and mammogram monitoring when she’s older.
Breast cancer symptoms don't always start with a lump. They can start with a rash, too. So just look for all of those symptoms.
