A breast cancer diagnosis turns life upside down. And often, the difficult news comes when you’re busy with other plans. It was the summer of 2016, and Monique Wilson was preparing to celebrate her 42nd birthday. Earlier that year, she had found a breast lump. Although her doctor initially wasn’t…
When Nichole Kutmas found a lump the size of a pencil eraser, breast cancer was the last thing on her mind. It was May 2013, and Nichole had just celebrated her 32nd birthday. She had two young daughters.
Faith, determination, and a fight-to-win mantra all helped Melodie Henderson get through more than a few bumps in the road during her cancer journey, which began in 2017. That November, Melodie had returned for a six-month follow up after doctors saw something suspicious on her previous mammogram. Though Melodie had been…
Even before her diagnosis, Dara Kumbera knew what it meant to battle breast cancer. In her family, the illness was a familiar and unwelcome occurrence: her mother, grandmother, and cousin had all passed away from the disease. Dara’s own diagnosis came in 1998, when she was only 30 years old.…
While breast cancer brought Shannon Coffey and Dawn Bobo together, it was the shared experience of grief and loss that cemented a special bond between the women. After being diagnosed with HER2-positive breast cancer in 2023, Shannon reached out to ABCD: After Breast Cancer Diagnosis to request a Mentor. ABCD…
When Lori Petitti found out she had breast cancer, she felt overwhelmed. “My doctor seemed to be in a rush to make me do surgery and treatment,” says Lori, who was diagnosed in 2010. “I had so many questions that they weren’t answering.” As she processed the news, Lori attended…
Dawn was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008. At the time, she had the support of her family including her loving husband, who was with her at every treatment. But in 2018, when Dawn faced a recurrence and new diagnosis of metastatic cancer, she realized she needed support from those…
Struggles with how to live your life following a breast cancer diagnosis are very real. In this video Kathryn Walker talks about the immediate bond she felt with her Mentor and how her connection with ABCD was life changing.
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…
Receive information from ABCD straight to your inbox.
Subscribe to Our Email List 5775 N. Glen Park Road, Suite #201
Milwaukee, WI 53209
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.