After being diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer in her 20s, Danielle Gabriel is running the TCS NYC Marathon with Team BCRF to fund life-saving research
When Danielle Gabriel first felt a lump in her breast in late August 2021, cancer didn’t cross her mind. Having battled mononucleosis in college, she assumed a swollen lymph node was acting up. But when two weeks passed without any change, her OB/GYN ordered an ultrasound, followed by a referral to a breast specialist and lumpectomy.
By November, Danielle was diagnosed with stage 2, grade 3 invasive ductal carcinoma that was BRCA1-positive, estrogen receptor-positive (ER+), and HER2-negative.
At just 26, Danielle was suddenly forced to confront a cancer diagnosis and the unique challenges that come with breast cancer in younger women.
Following a double mastectomy in December, Danielle faced another daunting reality: chemotherapy treatment could impact her future ability to have children. “I had always wanted to be a mom, and I was like, ‘Oh my god, this is in jeopardy,'” Danielle recalled. “It’s just something that you don’t ever really expect to go through. You don’t necessarily connect fertility with cancer initially unless you’ve had an experience with it. So that really threw me for a loop.” She ultimately went through IVF procedures in January 2022 prior to starting chemotherapy.
Adding to the already existing stress, strict protocols brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic meant stepping into high-stakes medical consultations alone, digesting complex oncology terms and making life-altering choices without a hand to hold. Forced to find her voice in clinical isolation, Danielle quickly realized that taking charge of her health demanded fearless self-advocacy.
“I remember hearing all these crazy terms and being like, ‘What does that mean?’ And you’re allowed to ask what that means, and you should know,” Danielle emphasized. “It is your body, and you’re allowed to ask questions about that. You’re allowed to ask clarifying questions if you don’t understand something… Because at the end of the day, the person who’s going to take the most interest and the best care of your body is you.”
Determined to help ensure no other young women would have to navigate a diagnosis in the dark, she launched Fighting Under 40, an initiative dedicated to educating and empowering women both before and during a diagnosis.
“I read a quote [that] said, ‘Be who you needed when you were younger,'” Danielle reflected. “Who did I need when I was 26? I needed someone to tell me to get checked. I needed someone to teach me how to advocate for myself. I named it Fighting Under 40 because you’re not generally recommended to get your first mammogram until 40 years old. And obviously, that is 14 years too late for me. And for a lot of other women.”
Through the initiative, Danielle facilitates discussion on self-exams, family history, testing, advocacy dialogue, and steps needed during or after a diagnosis, creating community and a strong support system.
“When you’re diagnosed in your twenties, you feel like an anomaly,” Danielle shared. “You walk into a waiting room and you don’t see anyone who looks like you or who is worrying about the same things you are—like fertility, early menopause, or career impact.”
And Danielle’s commitment to advocacy didn’t stop there. Four years after completing active treatment, she set her sights on running 26.2 miles in the TCS New York City Marathon with Team BCRF.
Partnering with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation stems directly from her lived experience. “I love BCRF because it goes directly to the research,” she noted. “The more research we have, the more options we can give… It’s important to be able to have a little bit more autonomy over your body.”
Participating in the marathon is also a meaningful step for Danielle on a personal level. “Running 26.2 miles after everything my body has been through is a way to mark my strength and resilience,” Danielle shared. “Part of why I wanted to run the marathon was to show that my body’s not broken, I’m not broken. We can still do hard things.”
Today, Danielle continues to inspire on and off the course. As she reminds us, “We are not just faces, we are not just stories. We are people, and we have whole lives in front of us and behind us—and that’s what you’re supporting.”
Through her running and her ongoing advocacy, Danielle remains dedicated to raising funds for breast cancer research so that future generations of young women have better options, better outcomes, and a clearer path to healing.
You can support Danielle’s fundraiser directly on her Team BCRF Page.
