After losing her mother to breast cancer and learning she carries the BRCA2 mutation that puts her at high risk for breast, ovarian, and other cancers, Ivonne Harris didn’t hesitate to act. “As soon as I got the results, I knew what I wanted to do,” she says. For Ivonne,…
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…
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,’”…
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…
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,…
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…
After she was diagnosed in 2020 with stage IV breast cancer, Anna La Fontaine did what many do: She went online and Googled. Born and raised in Australia, she never could have imagined she would find a cherished friend living almost 10,000 miles away in the U.S. (or as they…
After learning that her biopsy showed cancer and hearing her surgeon’s recommendation for a lumpectomy followed by radiation, Jan Lindemann was scared. Jan had experienced side effects from radiation in the past, suffering several health problems as a result. Although Jan understood that radiation techniques had improved over the years,…
Following a breast cancer diagnosis, healthcare providers focus on ensuring patients understand the next steps and receive prompt treatment. But patients also need emotional support – and healthcare providers play a vital role in connecting them with the right resources. “There are so many resources out there for breast cancer…
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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.