Twice Diagnosed. Twice Victorious.
This is not just a story of cancer. It is a story of faith, fire, and the unshakeable belief that every trial carries a purpose.
The first diagnosis
When everything changed
I was 34 years old with a 6-month-old baby boy. Time seemed to slow, the room felt smaller, and yet somewhere deep inside me, a quiet voice said: you were made for this.
My first diagnosis with breast cancer came as a shock — as it does for every woman who hears those words. A first-time mother, still learning the rhythms of life with a 6-month-old infant, I was suddenly facing a journey I never expected. But from the very beginning, I chose to face it with faith rather than fear.
I was told, "You have the good cancer. You are young and will be just fine." Those words stayed with me years after my first diagnosis. I did not yet know what lay ahead — I was simply trying to survive, one day at a time as a new mother with a breast cancer diagnosis.
The second diagnosis
Chosen again — and still standing
I was 47 years old, four years into widowhood, managing a home alone, carrying grief, and doing my best to hold everything together — when cancer came back. I had already lost so much. And yet, there it was again.
When cancer returned, I will not pretend it was easy to hear. But this time, I knew something I did not know before: I had already survived some of the most difficult and unexpected battles. I had raised a child through my first journey, and now I was a mother of two boys. I had walked through loss. I was still standing.
The second journey was different — invasive lobular carcinoma. Treatment was intense but the journey was more clarifying in others ways! It stripped away everything that did not matter and left only what was true: faith, resilience, and purpose. I came through that second journey with a conviction I carry every single day — that I was not just surviving. I was being shaped. I was being chosen for something greater.
Ultimately, I heard the whisper that told me this chapter was not the end of my story — it was the beginning of my purpose.
Why this matters
Chosen for a Pink Purpose
After two diagnoses and two victories, I knew I could not keep this story to myself. Every scar, every hard day, every moment of grace — it was all pointing toward something.
Chosen for a Pink Purpose was born from that conviction. It is my way of turning pain into power, and testimony into hope for every person walking a similar road.
If you are reading this in the middle of your own battle — I want you to know that your story is not over. You were chosen for this moment, and you are stronger than you know.
The road walked
Milestones of the journey
The journey begins
Received my first breast cancer diagnosis — ductal carcinoma in situ. As a new mother, I faced surgery and treatment with faith as my foundation.
Cancer-free
Ductual carcinoma in situ and received the news every survivor prays for — cancer-free
Chosen again
Cancer returned. This time I faced it while still navigating grief — but this time, I faced it with more faith, strength, and the courage of a survivor.
Twice a survivor
Defeated cancer a second time — and emerged with a purpose I could no longer ignore.
Chosen for a Pink Purpose
Sharing my story, building community, and walking alongside every survivor who needs to know they are not alone.
Your story matters too.
If my journey has touched you, I would love to hear from you. Reach out, share your story, or simply let me know you are here.