As a therapist, it baffles me that so few mental health professionals are talking about the unique challenges previvors face. Many aspects of being a previvor are unseen by others and can leave previvors feeling anxious, alone, overwhelmed or isolated. Unsurprisingly, when I… Continue reading →

Why I’m Sharing This Story I want to share a personal story—one that I hope might help you or someone you love navigate health and hereditary risk. This story is also written in hopes of normalizing some fears of those facing a genetic mutation, or even answering… Continue reading →

This June marks my first month as a 50 year old breast cancer survivor! Pride month holds a special place in my heart as I’ve spent the past thirty years both personally and professionally working for and supporting the LGBTQ community. While my focus was very much on… Continue reading →

I was 26 when I was diagnosed with Stage I testicular cancer, which is not typically linked to BRCA mutations. Surgery turned out to be the only treatment I needed, but that was not how it felt at the time. After surgery, I was pushed toward a treatment that I later learned was… Continue reading →

“Choose life,” we’re reminded in the book of Deuteronomy. What does it mean to choose life these days Researching treatment options, rigorous self-care, focusing on the positive, hoping (and praying) for cure/no evidence of disease/remission… these are new ways we choose… Continue reading →

In March 2023, I heard the words that instantly divided my life into before and after: high-grade serous ovarian cancer. How was that possible I had been a healthy, active 54-year-old. My only symptom, sharp rectal pain, was initially diagnosed as spasms. By May, I underwent… Continue reading →

I know this feeling. This weird limbo of uncertainty that we Israelis are in right now. This desire to do all the things we haven’t done for the past 6 weeks (shower! sleep through the night! go for a run without mapping out potential shelters!), but also this inability to… Continue reading →

My cancer journey so far has included many twists and turns. At times, I’ve been unsure where I was headed or had to change direction suddenly. What has made all the difference is that I haven’t had to navigate any of it alone. In December 2025, I learned I had ductal… Continue reading →

I don’t think it was a coincidence that I was in my art studio when I got the call that my biopsy tested positive for breast cancer. The colors, the mess, and the wet brushes held me in that dark moment. You see, I have always viewed the world around me through the eyes of… Continue reading →

I’m approaching the one-year mark of my triple-negative breast cancer diagnosis, but my journey actually began 20 years ago. When my sister was diagnosed at age 28, we were caught off guard. Soon after, at age 22, I learned I was positive for the BRCA gene mutation. Sitting in… Continue reading →

When my mother first told my younger sister and me that she had cancer, I almost laughed. It felt impossible—so unreal—for someone so strong and extraordinary to be facing something so terrifying. After her third diagnosis in the spring of 2025, my mother told me about some… Continue reading →

“YOU HAVE BREAST CANCER.” The four words I never expected to hear just one month after turning 40. Despite running the NYC Marathon every year, living a healthy lifestyle, and having no genetic mutations, I became one of the 1 in 8 women diagnosed with breast cancer.… Continue reading →

Hearing the words “You have breast cancer” can change everything in an instant. It’s an overwhelming moment—filled with uncertainty, hope, and countless decisions about surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and recovery. Yet, even after treatment ends, a single, daunting… Continue reading →

      Dear Friends, We were only 3 and 5 at the time when our mother, Rochelle Shoretz, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Back then, in 2001, cancer was a taboo subject. Initially Mom struggled to find someone in a similar situation, who could… Continue reading →

I never expected a recreational sports league to change my life — but that’s exactly what happened when I joined Mamanet. I thought I was signing up for a little friendly game of catch with other moms. Nope. Mamanet is serious business. These women show up like it’s the… Continue reading →

“We are survivors. We are sisters. And together, we are proof that love, laughter, and early detection can change everything.” Our Story In July 2019, my sister was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer, and in that instant, our family’s world changed. I… Continue reading →

Little can prepare you when you’re told “You have cancer”... but nothing prepares you for being told “You have Stage 4 Breast Cancer.” And yet there I was… 42 and part of a small group, about 6% of all breast cancer diagnoses, that are diagnosed with de novo… Continue reading →

On August 31st, I finished 20 weeks of chemo for breast cancer. One week from yesterday, I will undergo a double mastectomy and reconstruction. The experience has been intense and challenging. Physically, emotionally, and mentally. Individually and as a family. Treatment… Continue reading →

In February 2025, a routine mammogram revealed a suspicious finding. A biopsy confirmed a small tumor, and I was scheduled for a lumpectomy. I initially believed surgery, medication, and radiation would be the extent of my treatment. However, I was soon diagnosed with stage one… Continue reading →

“I’m sorry to share this, but you’ve tested positive for two genetic mutations—PALB2 and MITF. PALB2 increases your risk for breast, ovarian, and pancreatic cancers. MITF increases your risk for renal cancer and melanoma. You’ll need to meet with specialists to address… Continue reading →