“Here and now.” That’s what matters most to ABCD Mentor Janice Cowden. She’s a mother, grandmother, and former pediatric nurse who’s also a passionate advocate for the metastatic breast cancer community. Janice was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011. Nearly five years later, doctors told her she had developed…
In June 2016, shortly after Phyllis Eig learned she had breast cancer, her surgeon invited her to a weekly support group for newly diagnosed patients. Days later, Phyllis found herself in a room with other women who, like her, were just starting their breast cancer journeys. Their shocked expressions mirrored…
Elise Haschker could feel her mind spinning. It was January 2022, and she had just been diagnosed with breast cancer. Her medical team gave her a folder full of information, but Elise was too overwhelmed to read through it. When her nurse navigator suggested attending a support group, Elise felt…
As an ABCD Mentor and the co-chair of the Wisconsin Breast Cancer Showhouse Fashion Show, Rachel Weinberg is highly engaged in the breast cancer community. And while she is just 46 years old, her involvement dates back over 30 years. When she was in high school, a friend’s mother was…
At the age of 26, Chiara Riga made a discovery that would reshape the trajectory of her life. One day as she was lying in bed, Chiara dropped her TV remote and it landed gently on her chest. When she reached down to retrieve it, her fingers brushed against an…
ABCD’s first Latina Mentor, Maria Nieves – a single mother, has lived with breast cancer for the last thirteen years. Her faith in God and ABCD have helped her through the times when the battle was not easy and giving up became her reality.
“Control is an illusion,” says Alyssa Tsagong. It’s a truth she has learned to accept as she lives with metastatic breast cancer. Initially diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer in 2019, Alyssa learned in 2022 that her disease had spread to her bones and liver. “Doctors were honest with me…
When Jennifer Kinkade, who goes by Jenn, moved from Florida to Wisconsin with her husband in the summer of 2022, she was beginning a new chapter. An occupational therapist, Jenn had accepted a full-time faculty position at a university in Milwaukee. Alongside teaching, she also runs a private practice that…
Young, healthy and pregnant, Lisa Armitage was shocked to learn she had breast cancer. She found the compassion she needed in her Mentor. Just hearing the voice of someone who can say – “yes, that was me, I’m here, you’re not alone” meant the world to her.
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ABCD: After Breast Cancer Diagnosis is a qualified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.
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ABCD staff and volunteer Mentors are not licensed mental health professionals, therapists, social workers, or psychologists. They do not provide medical, therapeutic, or clinical advice. ABCD’s services are intended solely to offer peer-based emotional support and shared understanding through personal experience. If you need immediate mental health services, please reach out to your medical team or the National Hotline For Mental Health Crises And Suicide Prevention by dialing 988 on your phone.