“Control is an illusion,” says Alyssa Tsagong. It’s a truth she has learned to accept as she lives with metastatic breast cancer. Initially diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer in 2019, Alyssa learned in 2022 that her disease had spread to her bones and liver. “Doctors were honest with me…
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…
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,’”…
Nine years ago, Linda Settler received a life-altering diagnosis: stage 1A breast cancer. However, unlike many others, she had already mentally prepared for this diagnosis. Growing up with the knowledge that her maternal grandmother had also faced breast cancer, Linda always knew it was a matter of when, not if,…
When Beth Gramz felt a hard lump in her armpit in the fall of 2018, she chalked it up to the flu shot she’d received days earlier. A month later, the lump was still there, and now she had an adjacent one in her breast after doing a self-exam. “I…
In November 2019, at 37 weeks pregnant with her second child, Maria B. felt a lump in her breast while showering. An ultrasound of the suspicious area led to a biopsy. Lying on her side in the procedure room, Maria listened as the technician told her he’d be surprised if…
ABCD provides holistic care that medical providers cannot offer. Working as a complement to healthcare providers, MSW, Leanne Walz, discusses the value of having someone there who truly understands at this most vulnerable time in the life of someone who is dealing with breast cancer.
In June 2016, shortly after Phyllis Eig learned she had breast cancer, her surgeon invited her to a weekly support group for newly diagnosed patients. Days later, Phyllis found herself in a room with other women who, like her, were just starting their breast cancer journeys. Their shocked expressions mirrored…
Flo Cameron loves to laugh. But after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021, Flo faced moments of sadness that she describes as “some of the lowest times in my life.” Because she had a family history of the disease, Flo wanted to do everything possible to reduce her risk…
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ABCD: After Breast Cancer Diagnosis is a qualified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.
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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.