Running Forward After Breast Cancer
“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. Cancer doesn’t discriminate — it affects women of all ages, backgrounds, and levels of health.
At my doctor’s recommendation, I began yearly mammograms at 35 due to a small family history. I walked into each appointment feeling young and invincible. At 39, I had a normal mammogram and went on with life. A few months later, while lying on my boyfriend’s couch, I felt a lump. It turned out to be a cyst — but something else caught my doctor’s attention. A biopsy followed, and while on vacation, I received the call confirming it was cancer.
My first question was simple and terrifying: Am I going to be okay? Thankfully, my cancer was caught early. It was hormone-positive, had a low risk of recurrence, and was treated with a lumpectomy, radiation, and long-term hormonal therapy — no chemotherapy required.
Throughout my journey, Sharsheret was a source of strength and comfort. Their emotional support and practical resources reminded me that I was not alone. One gesture that meant everything to my family was a busy box for my children — a thoughtful reminder that cancer affects the entire family, not just the patient.
Today, I am nearly seven years cancer-free. Early detection saved my life.
And because life clearly has a sense of humor, it wasn’t done surprising me. At the finish line of my most recent NYC Marathon running with Team Sharsheret — sweaty, exhausted, emotional, and proudly wearing my medal — I got engaged. After everything cancer tried (and failed) to take from me, I stood there grateful for a future I once feared losing. Cancer changed me, but it did not define me. With Sharsheret by my side, I’m still running forward — now planning a wedding, and appreciating every mile a little more than before.