Hello, fellow warriors! My name is Megan, and I currently live in North Dakota, though I’m originally from Florida. I moved here in 2013 after my aunt set me up with her boyfriend’s nephew on a true blind date—we didn’t know anything about each other. To my surprise, he turned out to be the wonderful man I’m now married to! He had a 5-year-old son from a previous marriage, and once I met him, we quickly became close. We married in the Florida Keys in 2015, one of our favorite places, and welcomed our own son in 2017. Life felt like a fairy tale.
In late 2019, I decided to get a breast lift. I was 35, with minimal family history of breast cancer, so I chose not to do an MRI. But by mid-2020, my left breast began to harden, and the incisions started opening up. I was hesitant to see a doctor because of COVID fears, but after my friends urged me, I saw a plastic surgeon who immediately scheduled an MRI. The next morning, as I was about to go under anesthesia, he rushed in, saying we couldn’t proceed—he suspected inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) and arranged for immediate biopsies. On June 3, 2020, I received the news: Stage 4 IBC, HER2-positive, which had already fractured my sternum. I was devastated.
My husband and I went to Mayo Clinic for a second opinion. After a clinical study was mentioned, a doctor there gently suggested forgoing treatment to avoid dying in pain. I couldn’t accept that—I was a mom and had to fight. Returning home, I broke down with my oncologist, who encouraged me to ignore that recommendation and get through it together.
Treatment was grueling. I had four rounds of Adriamycin (the “Red Devil”) and 12 rounds of Taxol. Losing my long hair was heartbreaking—it felt like losing a part of my identity. After chemo, I had a mastectomy on my left side, where the cancer was also in the skin, followed by 33 rounds of radiation. Though I felt a small victory, my hands and feet were left with neuropathy from the treatments. I was eventually able to get my port removed, and for a while, it felt like I’d won.
Then in early 2022, I found a small lump in my right breast. A scan confirmed my fears: the cancer was back. I underwent eight rounds of chemotherapy with Carboplatin and Docetaxol, a mastectomy, and Herceptin, which I still take every three weeks. Losing my hair a second time was devastating, and the weight fluctuations from treatment affected my self-image deeply.
In April 2022, on a trip to Mexico with my husband, my port area became infected. We returned to the U.S. as fast as we could, and I spent over a week hospitalized, enduring two surgeries and a wound vac, which I had to wear for six weeks. A new port was placed on my right side, marking my third in two years.
My oncologist recommended a new chemo drug, Kadcyla. After my first infusion, I became dangerously weak, leading to a platelet count of just 10. I was hospitalized, received transfusions, and, despite another attempt with a lower dose, fainted at home, injuring myself in the fall. It happened again in 2023, causing two fractures in my right foot.
In April 2024, shortly before my birthday, I fainted again and ended up in the ER with an unmanageable migraine. A CT scan revealed a lesion in my brain, showing that the cancer had spread. I kept this news from my son to protect him. I underwent 35 minutes of continuous radiation, which thankfully shrank the tumor. But knowing that Herceptin doesn’t protect my brain is a constant worry.
Life as a survivor has changed me in profound ways. I’m deeply grateful for my faith in God, who has given me the strength to endure. This journey has taught me that I’m not invincible, but I am much stronger than I ever realized. My advice to fellow warriors: never give up. Be your own best advocate, and remember, counseling is essential as you navigate this new life.
Through this battle, I’ve discovered who my true friends are and set boundaries with people who don’t understand. I’ve also found joy in supporting young women who are just beginning their cancer journeys. Though life may look different now, I cherish the love I have for my husband, sons, and friends. And every day, I hold on to hope, knowing that with God, anything is possible.
To follow my journey, you can find me on Instagram: f_breast_cancer