Research Is the Reason I Could Protect My Future

When Inside Edition correspondent Alison Hall was diagnosed with stage 0 breast cancer at 32, research helped her catch it early and find a treatment plan that fit her priorities

Alison Hall was no stranger to breast cancer. As a teenager, she watched her mother be treated for stage 2 breast cancer—an experience that left her with a deep awareness of the importance of screening. Alison made self-exams part of her routine in her 20s, had a benign lump removed at 28, and got testing for BRCA gene mutations, which came back negative.

But just a few years later, breast cancer would become part of Alison’s own story, as well. While on assignment for Inside Edition, she was reporting on actress Olivia Munn’s breast cancer journey. She decided to take the same risk assessment Olivia’s doctor had used—the Tyrer-Cuzick model, which was developed by BCRF investigator Dr. Jack Cuzick—for the story.

What began as an assignment about breast cancer risk quickly became personal for Alison. On camera, a doctor read Alison her results: a 36 percent chance of getting breast cancer at some point in her life, a score that was just short of Olivia’s 37.3 percent result. To put it in perspective, doctors consider scores of 20 percent and above to be high risk, but Alison wasn’t overly concerned.

“I thought, ‘Well, I’m only 32 and this is my whole lifetime risk, so it’s OK,’” she said.

Still, the results set off a fast-moving chain of events. Alison was immediately referred for early breast cancer screening, and within weeks, she’d undergone a mammogram, ultrasound, and, eventually, a breast MRI. That’s when doctors spotted two suspicious areas—one in each breast—and ordered two back-to-back biopsies.

A few weeks later, standing on a subway platform, on her way to work, her doctor called. The biopsy from her right breast had come back malignant. It was ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), an early, non-invasive form of breast cancer.

“It was so devastating, but at the same time, being told that I had stage zero—the earliest possible form of breast cancer—also felt like a gift,” Alison explained.

She couldn’t help but think of her mom, who was diagnosed at a later stage at the age of 51. If she had waited to start screening until age 40, as she was originally told to do, it could’ve been much worse, Alison said.

“In a way, it felt like divine intervention, and I’ve really leaned into feeling grateful for that,” she added. “I’m grateful to Olivia Munn for sharing her story that introduced me to the Tyrer-Cuzick model and further to the researchers who developed the model in the first place.”

While waiting on the biopsy results from her left breast, Alison seriously started thinking about her treatment options. A less-invasive lumpectomy followed by radiation and years of hormone therapy was on the table. But knowing she wanted to have children in the near future, she was concerned about how that plan might affect her family planning—and how the constant worry about recurrence while pregnant and in the early stages of motherhood could take a toll on her mental health.

Even before the results from her left breast came back—they ultimately showed no signs of cancer—Alison had decided to go with the other treatment option her doctor presented: a double mastectomy with reconstruction.

For her, removing both breasts offered the clearest path to long-term mental well-being.

“I just knew that I would feel so much more at peace knowing that I would have a totally clean slate,” she said.

Alison marked her calendar for a double mastectomy in January 2025. She was terrified in the weeks leading up to her eight-hour procedure, which would include the mastectomy and two-part reconstruction. But on the morning of the procedure, she felt “almost giddy” that she’d be cancer-free by the end of the day.

That sense of relief deepened in the recovery room, when the surgeon told her they had successfully removed all traces of DCIS and found no signs of invasive cancer.

“I looked down at my compression hospital bra. I was so scared for that moment, but instead, I felt so relieved and free from the anxiety of cancer,” Alison said.

Alison’s surgical recovery and a subsequent breast reconstruction exchange surgery weren’t easy. The anesthesia left her nauseous for days, and her body was exhausted, bruised, and sore. But now that treatment is officially over, she’s finally starting to process the experience.

“Before I was diagnosed, I can firmly say that I was the happiest, most thankful, and mentally well-equipped that I had ever been, and then just a few months later, it felt like my whole life turned upside down,” she said. “I still have my dream job and my husband and my dog, which all bring me so much joy, but contemplating that your life can change in an instant is really hard.”

That emotional whiplash has made Alison especially passionate about sharing her story on air and online—and advocating for continued research.

“Early detection is only possible because of research, and the scientists and doctors working really hard on it,” Alison said. “I know there is so much more research to be done in all areas of breast cancer, especially with DCIS. I really hope that, within the next few years, that will become so much clearer.”

This experience, she said, has stretched her in ways she never expected. And while some days have been harder than others, it has also helped find meaning in difficult moments.

“Even in our darkest days, there’s always something to look for that is beautiful or meaningful,” she said. “I’ve really tried to put that into practice. I feel part of this incredible community of women who share their stories with each other in order to help others feel less alone. It has given my life so much more meaning.”

Read more stories from BCRF’s Research Is the Reason storytelling initiative here.