I was diagnosed with stage 2, triple-positive breast cancer on my 33rd birthday.

One day, while stretching, I felt a lump on my breast. They later found another small tumor on my lymph node that I had never felt before. I was surprised that I hadn't noticed the lump before it had grown to the size of a grape. I made an appointment with my primary doctor, who referred me to get a mammogram right away. During the mammogram, the doctor did an ultrasound and immediately performed a biopsy. While I was getting an ultrasound, my radiologist looked at the screen and told me, "I am 90% sure this is cancer, and if your lab comes back negative, I would be very surprised."

Before my diagnosis, I had never checked my breasts monthly and had no awareness of breast cancer. I had a misperception that only genetics or unhealthy and older people get cancer. I had no history of cancer in my family and didn't have the BRCA genes. As a young and healthy person, checking my breasts never really crossed my mind. At that time, I considered myself a health-conscious person because I was eating organic foods and exercising regularly. Looking back, I had so many signs of hormonal imbalance, and my idea of “healthy” was very surface level of how I look.

I was shocked to find out that not only did I have breast cancer, but I was also HER2 positive, which meant I had a more aggressive type of tumor. During my chemo treatment, I discovered holistic medicine, which helped me manage some of the side effects and keep my immune system as strong as possible despite 5 months of harsh chemo. After finishing my active treatment, I became very passionate about taking a holistic approach to cancer. I decided to study holistic nutrition and health to deepen my knowledge.

People who haven't experienced cancer think that once you finish active treatments, you can put everything behind you and move on. However, with breast cancer specifically, many of us struggle with dealing with a new "normal" after surgeries, and being on hormonal treatment can bring a whole new set of issues. My anxiety actually got worse after I finished treatment. No matter how many healthy foods I consumed or how many meditations and prayers I practiced, I felt like I was on a hamster wheel. I was constantly worried that what I was doing wasn't enough, and the fear of recurrence was overwhelming. At the beginning of my healing journey, I was so focused on external practices that I was missing other parts of my life. What I learned was that our body, soul, spirit, and mind are all connected. To truly heal and thrive, we have to work on all areas of our life.

I now work as a full-time holistic health coach and nutritionist to help other young breast cancer survivors with evidence-based holistic prevention. Life after breast cancer can truly be better than before cancer, and instead of just being a survivor, you can become a thriver. My approach is to respect everyone's bio-individuality because what works for one person may not work the same for another. There is so much information out there about different types of diets, what to eat or not to eat after breast cancer, and it can all get very confusing and overwhelming. I don't believe there is only one way to eat or heal after breast cancer, and I love working with my clients one-on-one to guide them to discover what works best for them based on their bio-individuality. This way, they can feel empowered and in control of their own body and mind. I truly believe it is my calling to help other survivors get there and see them transform physically, emotionally, and spiritually. If you are going through treatment right now, hang in there. If you have finished treatment but are feeling anxious, know that you are not alone, and it is normal. You just went through a tough time and were diagnosed with a life-threatening disease. But just know that you don't have to stay that way and wish to have your old life back. There are ways to love your new and better version of yourself after breast cancer.

As much as I hate cancer, my diagnosis was a breakthrough I didn't wish for. I believe it didn't happen to me, but For me, and in many ways, my life has changed for the better.

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