A member of our community shares her journey with Stage IIB breast cancer, the BRCA2 mutation, and what life looks like now.
October 2024 — Diagnosis
I was diagnosed in October 2024 with Stage IIB invasive ductal carcinoma in my right breast. I was 29. My cancer was estrogen receptor-positive and HER2-positive, and I also carry the BRCA2 mutation. My mom was diagnosed with stage 4 triple negative breast cancer in 2016, although she does not carry the BRCA mutation. I was lucky to have someone so close to me to relate to. Everything happened so fast after that.
December 2024 — Fertility Preservation & Starting Treatment
Before treatment started, I froze my eggs on December 4 because I knew treatment could affect my fertility. Then I started chemotherapy on December 10. It was quite the whirlwind.
Chemotherapy
I went through 6 rounds of Carboplatin, Herceptin, and Taxotere with the Paxman cold cap, which was honestly hell. Keeping my hair mattered to me, so I did it, but it was one of the hardest parts of treatment.
Surgery
Because of my diagnosis and my BRCA2 mutation, I had a double mastectomy with tissue expanders placed.
Radiation
After surgery, I completed 16 rounds of radiation. Then I completed 9 treatments of Kadcyla. Everyone said it would be the "easy" treatment compared to chemo, but honestly, it still sucked.
May 2026 — Reconstruction
In May 2026, after a year with expanders, I had my implant exchange surgery and finally had my permanent implants placed. If you're navigating what to wear during this stage, our chest coverage swimwear is designed with exactly this kind of healing in mind.
Life Now
Now I'm on Zoladex and Letrozole for 5 years, and I'm hating menopause for real. I'm trying to figure life out after cancer, and I feel like I'm sucking at it.
I think that's been one of the biggest surprises. During treatment, you're just trying to survive. You have appointments, scans, surgeries, and a plan. Then treatment ends, and everyone expects you to be back to normal — but you don't feel normal. You're still dealing with the physical side effects, the emotional side of everything you went through, and trying to figure out who you are now.
Cancer changed me, and I'm still learning how to live with that.
Good Days and Hard Days
there are good and bad days. sometimes i recognize myself in the mirror and other days i don't. i'm so fortunate to have been able to cold cap, but people don't believe me after hearing about the surgeries or treatment i went through. i know my body is precious & strong, and i am proud to be in this body — even if it may have "failed me." thanks genetics!!
i feel like i am so proud of who i am, not only before cancer but even more so after. i met a version of myself that i most definitely needed to meet. i'm still processing & healing, and sometimes i feel like i'm sucking at it. but you just have to keep pushing & remember that the hardest part is behind you. you did the hard part — now it's time to live life & love who you are. you matter.
I don't own one yet — still working on this new body — but I know when the time comes, POST SWIM is right where I'll be headed. Just knowing there's a company out there that supports cancer girlies post-cancer makes me feel seen & heard.