Lauren Yerkes
Survivor
The Greatest Lessons Learned
Diagnosed 3 days before my 38th birthday with stage 2 invasive ductal carcinoma triple negative breast cancer.
- Didn’t know I was a BRCA2 carrier until I was diagnosed giving me the ability to be proactive in my care as well as giving my family that knowledge too.
- A new appreciation and drive in life – to not only want to enjoy each day but to educate and give other women information that no one tells you, whether it’s things to watch for, ways to navigate treatment, etc.
- Life is hard but there is opportunity to find positive in the hard times and to celebrate the wins as they come.
- Payback – I wanted so badly to find a way to pay my husband back for being by my side through treatment and I learned that I am doing that by just being alive, that’s all he wanted and what anyone else wants.
- Don’t sweat the small stuff became so apparent after surgeries and treatment, it’s not worth the time, energy or frustration to worry about the things you can’t control or that are silly – life is too short.
- I was a very private person before diagnosis, now I’m an open book – it helps to not only heal but has already helped other women to advocate for themselves or push through their own diagnosis.
- Hair grows and after treatment who cares what it does, you are alive! Be proud!
My goal now is to:
- Live
- Educate
- Find ways to support those that are newly diagnosed and show them that there is light at the end of the tunnel.