Bonnie Anderson, was at the perfect place in her life – she was a borderline empty nester, she had just married the love of her life and then a call one night from her doctor upset her world. She was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her breast cancer diagnosis guided her…
It was 2016 and an exciting but hectic time for 34-year-old Jessica Barolsky and her husband Michael. They had just welcomed Noah, their new baby boy, into the world to join his big sister, 3-year-old Yael. The former rabbi at Congregation Emanu-El B’ne Jeshurun in River Hills, Wisconsin had also…
“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 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…
At age 31, Monique Morris noticed a lump in her right breast. A young mom who was about to marry the love of her life, Monique thought the lump might be related to breastfeeding and decided to get it checked after her honeymoon. The appointment didn’t go as planned. “I…
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…
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…
Since ABCD was founded in 1999, almost 800 people from across the United States have completed ABCD’s Mentor Training Program in order to provide our signature service: delivering customized, one-to-one emotional support to breast cancer patients, caregivers, survivors, and people living with metastatic disease. ABCD’s guiding principle is that everybody…
When Nikki Cox moved from the UK to the United States in 2019, she brought her passion for helping women look and feel their best. In England, she built a successful personal styling business called I’ve Got Nothing to Wear, a reflection of her belief that “clothing really makes a…
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.