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“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…
Soon after turning 40 in December of 2019, Jaclyn Dillon had her first mammogram and it was all clear. Eight months later, she was at home during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic with her young daughter, who was celebrating her third birthday. “She knocked her head back on my…
Artelia’s experience with breast cancer is one of courage, resilience, and unwavering self-advocacy. It began with several heartbreaking miscarriages in her early thirties, followed by a troubling discharge from her breasts. Despite being dismissed by doctors who said she was too young for a mammogram, Artelia refused to ignore the…
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…
The partnership between Kesslers Diamonds and ABCD began a number of years ago and continues today. Jim Bretzel talks about the importance of our Mentors, and how he believes the best help for someone going through breast cancer is someone who can empathize with you. Kesslers commitment to ABCD and…
When a loved one has breast cancer, family members and friends are affected as well. Kelli Krcma remembers supporting her sister, Kerry Claas, following Kerry’s diagnosis in 2001. Kerry was just 30 years old when she learned she had inflammatory breast cancer, a rare form of the disease that makes…
As a noise control engineer for power plants, Rich Loud lives up to his name. But when he’s not on the job, he’s pursuing his passion: running. “I’ve become a serial marathoner,” he says. To prevent chafing while running, men often put tape over their nipples, he explains. In August…
Like the multi-colored hot air balloons in the festival in her hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Jennifer Tomlin felt tethered to the ground by her cancer diagnosis of 10 years ago. Not only that, but at the time of her diagnosis, she was in the midst of changing careers, from music…
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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We are an inclusive organization
ABCD: After Breast Cancer Diagnosis is a qualified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.
ABCD does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, gender, gender expression, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations.
ABCD does not provide medical advice, make diagnoses, or offer treatment options.
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.