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…
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.
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…
Since the day it was founded 25 years ago, ABCD has always been committed to Melodie Wilson Oldenburg’s founding vision: “No one should go through breast cancer alone.” This incredibly special and powerful video that debuted at ABCD’s 25th Anniversary Gala on June 15, 2024, features rarely seen footage of…
“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…
As an HR professional and mother of two daughters, Teresa Gutierrez was living a busy life in the Milwaukee area. She was 39 when she felt a lump while drying off from a shower and reached out to her doctor’s office to share her concerns. “They said, ‘You’re really young,…
Concern over breast cancer awareness being limited to the month of October, resulted in a ten-year partnership between ABCD and the Marcus Corporation. Tim Smith, talks about their role in helping to build ABCD’s awareness and how important it is for someone going through breast cancer to have someone who…
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…
Morgan Oldenburg isn’t one to seek the spotlight. But as the eldest daughter of the late Melodie Wilson Oldenburg, Morgan recognizes her role in carrying on an important legacy in the Milwaukee community. Her mother, an Emmy award-winning journalist, local anchorwoman, and television reporter, was diagnosed with breast cancer in…
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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.