In early 2026, at 54 years old, I went in for what I thought was a routine follow-up mammogram. I was told the image was blurry and they just needed a new photo. That wasn't the truth. After a new mammo and ultrasound, I had a biopsy a week later. A few days go by and i saw the results that changed everything.

I have Grade 3, Triple Positive, invasive breast cancer with a Nottingham score of 8/9 — the most aggressive subtype. In April I had a lumpectomy and lymph node biopsy, only to find out my pathology revealed far more than imaging showed. We did not achieve clear margins and the cancer was far bigger than imaging suggested.

Near the end of May I'm having a bilateral mastectomy, followed by chemotherapy, a year of targeted therapy, possibly radiation, breast reconstruction, and 5 years of hormone therapy.

This isn't a short road. From multiple surgeries through breast reconstruction, I am looking at a minimum of 1.5 years of "active" treatment and recovery. That means time missed from work, ongoing medical appointments, bills, travel costs, and practical day to day needs that insurance doesn't cover.

So far, I'm doing this largely alone with ZERO family support (aside from my husband). Luckily, i have the generous support of some friends, amazing coworkers, and the online community helping me get supplies ready. I am eternally grateful for all you have already done. I honestly don't know what I would do without you all.

I'm not asking for sympathy or toxic positivity. I'm asking for a little help navigating what is going to be a long and expensive road.

If you need additional verification, I'm more than willing to share that with you.

Love to you all.

And get your mammograms... NOW!

Kim