By Beautiful Machine Magazine – October Breast Cancer Awareness Edition

When I went in for my routine OB/GYN visit in September 2023, I thought it would be just another checkup. I was 41, and though I knew I was overdue for my first mammogram, I didn’t think much of it. Life was busy — I was running my business, juggling responsibilities, and doing what most women do: taking care of everyone but myself.

That mammogram changed everything.

During the procedure, the technician noticed something unusual and suggested I come back for a second look. I remember feeling uneasy but hopeful. But when the second mammogram revealed a brown discharge from my breast — something completely abnormal — my world began to spin. Within three days, I was back in the hospital for a lumpectomy. The results came fast: Stage 0 non-invasive ductal carcinoma — breast cancer.

The words “you have cancer” hit me like a train. I felt fear, sadness, confusion, and an overwhelming sense of isolation. I kept asking myself, “Why me?” As an entrepreneur, my business depended on me being strong, being present. Suddenly, I was facing surgery, recovery, and the terrifying uncertainty of what came next. I couldn’t work. Bills piled up. My independence — something I had built so carefully — felt like it was slipping away.

But in that darkness, something else began to grow: faith and resilience. I learned that breast cancer, especially in its earliest stages, is not a death sentence. I leaned on my doctors, my family, and a small but powerful circle of women who had walked this road before me. They taught me that vulnerability isn’t weakness — it’s strength in its truest form.

After my lumpectomy and breast reconstruction, I slowly began to heal — physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Today, I am two years cancer-free, and that victory means everything.

Now, my mission is to give back. I host small gatherings at my business where women can come together to talk, cry, and find the resources they need — from emotional support to financial help. Breast cancer can steal your sense of security, but it doesn’t have to take your hope.

To every woman reading this: get your mammogram. Don’t wait. Early detection saved my life — and it can save yours, too.

If you or someone you love is facing breast cancer, reach out to the National Breast Cancer Foundation at 1-800-227-2345 or visit www.nationalbreastcancer.org.