Right now, 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. But while knowing your potential breast cancer risk is important, the numbers don’t tell the whole story. Behind every breast cancer diagnosis is a real person with family, friends, and a whole world—not just a statistic.
Below are just a few of breast cancer survivor and thriver stories, to remind us of the real-life impact of research. The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) is the largest private funder of breast cancer research, and metastatic breast cancer research, in the world. Ahead, read first-hand accounts of the importance of research.
Alice promotes early detection
At 57 years old, Alice was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), also known as stage 0 breast cancer. After treatment, which involved a bilateral mastectomy, she became a fierce advocate for early detection access.
“I jumped into researching and understanding what it is,” she said, “and early detection was everything…I knew I had to get through this and be an advocate for others.” Alice helped launch a mobile mammogram clinic in her local community, which offered breast cancer screenings to underserved women. She also served on BCRF’s Advisory Board for several years.
Alice remains a passionate advocate for breast cancer research. “People should know that because of research, breast cancer is not always a scary term or a death sentence,” she said. “Because of research there are cures. Because of research I am loving being a grandmother.”
Tracey is emboldened to pursue her passions
When Tracey was diagnosed with stage 1 HER2-positive breast cancer at 38, her first thought was: “I’m never going to make it to 40.” But thanks to advances in research, she had a good prognosis and was able to receive targeted therapies.
Her experience gave her the courage to pursue her passion for creative writing. In the years since her diagnosis, she has become a New York Times bestselling author of numerous acclaimed children’s novels and young adult novels and joined the creative writing faculty at Lesley University.
Tracey credits research with helping her feel confident and comfortable throughout her treatment. “Research was very, very grounding for me,” she said. “It validated the decision I made when no one was quite sure what the right thing was. It’s been great for me to see that we did absolutely everything we could, and we made good decisions.”
Andre advocates for male breast cancer survivors
Andre was shocked when he was diagnosed with breast cancer at 52. He had no idea men could get the disease. “I felt a little bit ashamed and thought that people were going to judge me,” he said.
In spite of this, Andre knew it was important for him to share his story, and decided to write an article on LinkedIn to tell his friends and family about the diagnosis. “I decided I’m going to turn my embarrassment into advocacy and create awareness of my situation so other guys will be able to perform self-exams and do whatever it takes so this doesn’t happen to another person,” he said.
His treatment wasn’t easy, but Andre feels like he’s in good shape because his breast cancer was found early. He awaits a future with even more progress. “I hope, through research, that we can find a cure, and, most importantly, ways of preventing this disease, so about 300,000 women and 2,700 guys don’t have to go through this every year.”
Yvonne shares her story to help others
When Yvonne learned she had breast cancer, she was shocked. She had no idea that Asian American women could get the disease. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among Asian American women, but they are also less likely to get breast cancer screenings due to “stigma and shame” in the community, Yvonne said.
Yvonne didn’t know anyone else who had breast cancer, and, at the time, there was far less research—and no internet—available. Because of this, Yvonne’s diagnosis felt isolating, and she went through treatment privately. But three decades later, she decided it was time to share her story, and wrote about her journey for for NBC News. She received an outpouring of support from friends and strangers alike, many of whom were encouraged to get screened after reading it.
For Yvonne, research gave her the chance to share her experiences and help others. “Research is the reason I’ve been able to live a full life and fulfill my dreams,” she said. “Breast cancer research is important for the future generation. My daughters have a genetic predisposition from both sides. It’s only through research that hopefully more lives will be saved.”
Julia is dedicated to metastatic breast cancer research
When Julia was in her second trimester, she was diagnosed with HER2-positive breast cancer. She immediately started AC chemotherapy, a treatment shown to be safe during pregnancy. But after Julia gave birth, a CT scan revealed the cancer had spread. “[My oncologist] had tears in his eyes when he had to tell me, ‘You’re a new mom, but you have metastatic breast cancer,” she remembered.
She had to stop treatment when she began to go into heart failure. However, doctors were able to try a new medication that was thought to be less toxic to the heart. Now, over 12 years later, that treatment has been effective. Thanks to groundbreaking treatments made possible by BCRF researchers and others, she has been able to watch her son grow up. “I’m his person. I got the gift of being there for him,” she said.
Julia co-founded a nonprofit called GRASP (Guiding Researchers and Advocates to Scientific Partnerships) with the goal of connecting patients and cancer researchers. “We’ve made real progress, especially in HER2-positive breast cancer. I would not be alive if this progress hadn’t been made.”
Shontè is closing the treatment equity gap
Despite consistent symptoms in her nipple and breast, along with coughing, aches, and pains, it took six years for Shontè to be taken seriously by doctors. It was only after the pain became extreme that she was finally diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, which had spread to her lungs and bones. “I thought, ‘Oh my God, I’m going to die,’” she said.
Black women have a 38% higher death rate from breast cancer compared to white women and are more likely to experience delays in treatment, and Shontè wondered if her race had caused her to be dismissed. “I worried that if I’d pushed too much for additional testing, the doctors would label me ‘difficult.’ And I shouldn’t have needed to think about that.” Thankfully, she began to receive the care she should have been given all along, and thanks to treatment advances made possible by research, a combination of radiation, chemotherapy, and medication has helped keep her stable almost 10 years later.
Now, Shontè is an advocate for racial equity in breast cancer treatment and research, working with the Tigerlily Foundation and sharing her story at scientific conferences as well as at meetings of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, Congress, and former President Biden’s Cancer Moonshot. “I’ve already beat all the odds and statistics,” she said. “I’m just going to keep going.”
Rana uses her own experience to help her patients
Rana was diagnosed with breast cancer just months before what seemed to be a new chapter in her life: her medical school graduation, upcoming residency, wedding, and family planning were all on the horizon. “It felt very surreal,” she said. “At the end of the day, as much as we’re all physicians, we’re all going to be patients.”
A perpetual planner, the diagnosis threw her world into disarray. She took a year off from her residency plans to start treatment and hurried to schedule an embryo retrieval just two weeks before chemotherapy began. Luckily, however, her wedding was able to move forward with help from her oncologist. She and her then-fiancé decided to personalize the ceremony by shaving their heads together in front of their guests. “It was really fun, and very positive,” she said. She went into remission several months later, and after a difficult journey with hormone therapy and IVF, gave birth to her daughter.
Now, Rana plans to become a maternal-fetal medicine specialist. “I’m excited to be able to take care of them as someone who had this kind of high-risk pregnancy myself,” she said. “It’s so meaningful to give back even in the littlest way.”
Jacqueline sees the progress of research
20 years after losing her mother to hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, Jaqueline was diagnosed with the exact same disease. Despite hearing from doctors, “‘You need to stop thinking that you are going to have breast cancer because you’re too young,’” she said, “literally four years later, I’m diagnosed with breast cancer.”
Her mother’s experience with the disease led to Jacqueline undergoing a double mastectomy. She was also able to forego chemotherapy thanks to a groundbreaking trial—involving a BCRF-funded researchers—which she later learned her employer, ULTA Beauty, helped fund. “In that moment, it was full circle,” she says.
For Jaqueline, research is the reason she and her mother had different treatment outcomes. “When I think about my mom…what if she was diagnosed today? Would she still be here?” While she’ll never know, she’s grateful that advances in research have given her more time with her family. “I’m hoping that my children get me until I’m 98. And the only way we’re going to get there is through research.”
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