“I was totally blindsided with cancer at 27. I found a lump laying in bed one night. It was one of those things where my husband and I were like we will just wait and see. But then the next day at work, I just knew I had to know. I thought it was nothing. My doctors thought it was probably nothing so when the results came back, and it was cancer, I think they were more surprised than me. It was very aggressive. It was a grade 3. It was also multifocal, so I had 3 separate tumors growing. Then I found out I have the BRCA1 gene. They ended up doing a double mastectomy and lymph node removal. I lost my hair during my first round of chemo. Also, my blood cells dropped so low that I had to start getting a white blood cell shot. My second chemo caused really bad neurological pains. It almost felt like getting electrocuted through my body. After that, I knew I had to figure out something different. I really started trying to do everything. I worked out all the time. It almost became an obsession. Now, I’m just trying to find that balance. This week is 2 years since my diagnosis. September will be 2 years of remission. I mean I feel good. I eat cleaner. I exercise a lot more, so in my mind I’m doing the only things I can do to prevent it. The hardest part is dealing with the fear afterwards. Is it gone? Is it still there? Running really helps with that. I just try to take it day by day. Colors are brighter. Everything’s sweeter. I look at things differently. I have so much value on time. It really puts a time limit on things because you just never know. And I just feel like taking care of my health is the only thing I can control at this point and the only way I’m going to be here and be around to watch my kids grow up is to take care of myself.”