Kathleen Duppler first heard about ABCD: After Breast Cancer Diagnosis in January 2021, shortly after learning she had breast cancer. When her healthcare team referred her to ABCD, Kathleen reached out and was matched with a Mentor. But Kathleen’s breast cancer experience was far from over. In the fall of…
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.
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…
For a man, the average lifetime risk of breast cancer is approximately 1 in 726, according to the American Cancer Society. When men are diagnosed, there’s often nowhere to turn for support. ABCD’s male Mentors want to change that. Kurt’s Story In the past, Kurt DeAngelis described himself as “one…
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…
“The world came crashing down,” is how Angie* remembers the moment she learned she had metastatic breast cancer. It was February 2016. Angie, then 41 years old, had always been healthy. But after Angie experienced back and rib pain, her doctor ordered imaging. When the CT scan showed lesions in…
If you’ve never heard of Inflammatory Breast Cancer, Karen Leonard wants to change that. Diagnosed in 2009 with IBC, Karen knows firsthand how often this rare and aggressive form of breast cancer is misdiagnosed, and how important it is to connect with others who have been on the same journey.…
Lillian Walker Shelton, originally from Philadelphia and now living in the DC metro area, is a mental health therapist who spends her days supporting others. She’s also a devoted sister, a proud Eagles fan, and someone who finds joy in music, travel, and time with loved ones. “I really love…
One of the most fearful aspects of a breast cancer diagnosis is the loss of control patients feel. For ABCD: After Breast Cancer Diagnosis Mentor Kathy Korducki, who was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) in 2018, the thought of losing her hair due to chemotherapy was worse than facing…
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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.