I’m a fighter, more than a survivor. My battle with this disease has been perpetual. After a clear mammogram in 2003, I was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer in 2004. The cancer metastasized to my lungs and changed my diagnosis to stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. After 14 months of remission, it returned. Currently, the tumors in my lungs have decreased 93%.
After finding out my diagnosis my family went through three stages – devastation, anger and battle-readiness. I have a loving family, a great network of friends and most importantly, I knew I needed to do whatever it took to be here for my young children.
My goals now are to help women avoid finding themselves in this life-threatening situation and to raise money for breast cancer organizations – find new treatments, or even a cure, as well as raise awareness about genetic testing. I know now that I have the BRCA gene.
These days I’ve learned to take nothing for granted, and to appreciate people in my life and to cherish time with them. I appreciate every minute. I also learned the importance of being my own health advocate. This illness revealed my inner-strength and a power I never knew I had. I’ve gained an understanding of my greater purpose in life and my eyes were opened to the need to be actively involved in philanthropic ventures.
In October 2005 my friend Elizabeth Weprin and I founded Think Pink. Our mission is to raise awareness about early detection of and genetic testing for breast cancer. For more info visit
