Her phone rang in 1998 and Cancer Physical Therapist, Leslie Waltke, was invited to join a group of women who were determined to bring the need for emotional support to the forefront of the breast cancer community. They did this by setting ABCD apart with its ability to provide perspective…
At 26, Meg Stier was building her corporate retail career and enjoying her first apartment when a lump that doctors had minimized since she was 18, grew into something she could no longer ignore. “I’d been written off and told, ‘You’re young, you don’t have family history, it’s probably nothing,’”…
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…
Kathryn Lavey was 36, married to her high-school sweetheart, raising a three-year-old daughter, and working as creative services manager at Visit Milwaukee when she found a lump in her breast. “I put it off for a while thinking it’s just hormone cycles. Finally, I made an appointment to follow up…
“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…
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…
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…
Some people reach the end of their cancer treatments and say, “Whew! Now I can go on with my life!”, while others may say, “Now, what did I learn from all that? What’s the ‘new me’ like, and where am I going from here?” Rosa Yancey went into her breast…
Tom Gobroski’s journey as a male breast cancer survivor and advocate for ABCD is a testament to his resilience, determination, and passion for helping others. Diagnosed in March 2015, Tom demonstrates the importance of early detection and the need for support in the face of breast cancer. Tom’s discovery of…
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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.
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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.