If there’s one thing Mackenzie and I have learned over the years, it’s that life can change in the blink of an eye. There are no rules, especially when it comes to cancer. None of us ever expect to hear that word… “cancer.” We certainly don’t expect to hear it at 30-years-old. But here we are — walking this unexpected journey alongside her.

On March 2, 2025, Mackenzie detected a small knot in her right breast during self-examination. She quickly followed up with her OBGYN (the same doctor who she had been seeing for five years and who delivered her daughter) and got in for an appointment on March 4th.

On March 4th, she went in for her physical breast exam. If you know Kenz and the Fischer fam, you unfortunately know that cancer is no stranger to them. Despite that history, her doctor told her that an ultrasound was not necessary — that it was simply a “swollen gland,” likely due to hormonal issues. Relieved to hear it wasn’t anything serious, Mackenzie left that appointment expecting the swelling to dissipate.

But months went by, and the knot didn’t fluctuate. Mackenzie’s intuition told her something wasn’t right. For six months, the cancer went misdiagnosed and undetected — until she made the brave decision to put her wellbeing in the hands of someone else and seek a second opinion.

On September 4, 2025, Mackenzie went in for a diagnostic mammogram and ultrasound at UVA. The results showed a “suspicious mass” in her right breast measuring 2cm, with two swollen lymph nodes in her right armpit. They couldn’t confidently say it wasn’t cancer, so they sent her in for a biopsy the next day (and a huge thank you to the sweet nurse who had been “saving” that appointment for reasons that didn’t make sense to her until meeting Mackenzie).

On September 8, 2025, Mackenzie received the results from her biopsy: positive for Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, Grade 3. What started out as a “swollen gland” turned out to be breast cancer.

First, I want to mention the positives here:

✨ Mackenzie found the cancer HERSELF through self-examination.

✨ She followed her intuition and scheduled an appointment to get a second opinion, which led to the diagnosis.

As of this post, the recommended age for breast cancer screening for women with average risk is 40. Being proactive, like Mackenzie was, and performing monthly self-exams increases the chances of early detection. We are SO damn proud of Mackenzie for proactively performing her monthly self-exams and taking her health into her own hands by being relentless in the pursuit of answers. It is awful that we have to advocate for ourselves so hard in a country with as many resources as we have, but it is necessary.

I’ve had the privilege of knowing Mackenzie for the majority of our lives and if there’s ONE thing I can say for absolute certain, it’s that she is resilient. I know people say that about their people… but if you need further proof, she’s a triple fire (Aries Sun, Sagittarius Moon, AND a Sagittarius Rising) and she happens to be the daughter of a wise coach who once said, “why not me…” so yeah… resilience runs in her blood. It hasn’t mattered one iota what type of obstacle has been sent her way, she has overcome it. This is NO DIFFERENT.

If you are familiar with the cancer journey, you know, however, that part of it involves an ungodly amount of medical bills (even WITH insurance). This has already been a challenging year for them with her husband, Jay, being deployed overseas and the LAST thing I want them to worry about is the financial piece of this fight.

Mackenzie has always shown up for the people she loves — and now it’s our turn to show up for her. Every dollar raised will help ease the burden of medical bills, treatment costs, travel expenses, and the countless hidden costs that come with a cancer diagnosis. Most importantly, it allows her to focus on what truly matters: healing, fighting, and being there for her daughter, Law.

Whether you are able to give financially, share this page, or simply keep Mackenzie and her family in your prayers, every act of love and support means the world. Thank you for helping us rally around her during this chapter — together, we can lift some of the weight off her and her family’s shoulders and remind her that she is NEVER fighting alone.