Breast Cancer Survivor Stories
Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2026 9:50 am
Having cancer is terrifying. I was diagnosed at 31 years old with stage four breast cancer. It had spread from my breast to my lymph nodes, then to my bones, and eventually to both lungs. I had to quit my career immediately and relocate from Los Angeles to New York.
Doctors did not give me a hopeful prognosis. They told me I had only a 15% chance of beating it, and that one in five women with my diagnosis would not live to see five years. My oncologist tried many different drugs and chemotherapy treatments, but nothing worked. Eventually, she told me there was nothing more they could do for me. That was when I found Dr. Borgen. As soon as I met him, he became the first doctor in my nearly seven-year journey to tell me he believed ten thousand percent that I could beat this. Hearing those words made me cry because no medical professional had ever told me they believed I could survive, let alone with that level of confidence. I truly believe that if I had not found him, I would not be here today.
Through my trials, I learned so much. Now I try to give back by helping young women who are starting their own cancer journeys. I want to be a light for them. I see life very differently now. I value relationships, family, and friends deeply. Every day I wake up, whether it is good or bad, is still another day that I am here, and I feel grateful for it.
From the moment I arrived at the hospital, I felt welcome and hopeful. They did not treat me like someone who was dying. They treated me like someone who could be saved. Stage four is not a death sentence. I have been told many discouraging things, and I have proven them wrong.
I feel blessed in every part of my life. It is hard to feel down when so many wonderful things surround you—my job, my family, and my friends. Saying I am not blessed would be ungrateful. Yes, I got cancer. Things happen. Hopefully I will beat it one day, sooner rather than later. You move forward, you learn, and you grow. Maybe my purpose in facing cancer is to tell others there is hope and they can get better.
I am a flight attendant and I love my job because I get to meet many different people. I was diagnosed on December 22, 2016. A friend connected me with Dr. Borgen, and I was able to see him the next day. At some point during treatment, I also developed thyroid cancer. It was detected, and I had my thyroid removed last month, and I am doing well now. Sometimes things happen, and you face them one at a time.
I am so grateful I ended up at Maimonides. The care is personal, and the staff is outstanding. I have never felt like just a number or a statistic. I have always felt like a person. All I can say is thank you, thank you a million times. You saved my life. I am deeply grateful to the doctor who believed in me when no one else did, and to everyone who supports this cause and raises awareness. What you do truly matters.
Doctors did not give me a hopeful prognosis. They told me I had only a 15% chance of beating it, and that one in five women with my diagnosis would not live to see five years. My oncologist tried many different drugs and chemotherapy treatments, but nothing worked. Eventually, she told me there was nothing more they could do for me. That was when I found Dr. Borgen. As soon as I met him, he became the first doctor in my nearly seven-year journey to tell me he believed ten thousand percent that I could beat this. Hearing those words made me cry because no medical professional had ever told me they believed I could survive, let alone with that level of confidence. I truly believe that if I had not found him, I would not be here today.
Through my trials, I learned so much. Now I try to give back by helping young women who are starting their own cancer journeys. I want to be a light for them. I see life very differently now. I value relationships, family, and friends deeply. Every day I wake up, whether it is good or bad, is still another day that I am here, and I feel grateful for it.
From the moment I arrived at the hospital, I felt welcome and hopeful. They did not treat me like someone who was dying. They treated me like someone who could be saved. Stage four is not a death sentence. I have been told many discouraging things, and I have proven them wrong.
I feel blessed in every part of my life. It is hard to feel down when so many wonderful things surround you—my job, my family, and my friends. Saying I am not blessed would be ungrateful. Yes, I got cancer. Things happen. Hopefully I will beat it one day, sooner rather than later. You move forward, you learn, and you grow. Maybe my purpose in facing cancer is to tell others there is hope and they can get better.
I am a flight attendant and I love my job because I get to meet many different people. I was diagnosed on December 22, 2016. A friend connected me with Dr. Borgen, and I was able to see him the next day. At some point during treatment, I also developed thyroid cancer. It was detected, and I had my thyroid removed last month, and I am doing well now. Sometimes things happen, and you face them one at a time.
I am so grateful I ended up at Maimonides. The care is personal, and the staff is outstanding. I have never felt like just a number or a statistic. I have always felt like a person. All I can say is thank you, thank you a million times. You saved my life. I am deeply grateful to the doctor who believed in me when no one else did, and to everyone who supports this cause and raises awareness. What you do truly matters.