Age 35, diagnosed at 32
No family history, no known genetic mutation
POWERFUL. Our theme for A Calendar to Live By 2021, INSPIRED, shares the word that resonates most with each of our calendar ambassadors and reflects the woman she has become since her cancer journey began. Kristin's word is POWERFUL. Here is her story.
Kristin, Ms. February in A Calendar to Live By 2021, awakened from a nap one day and heard an inner voice telling her to touch the side of her left breast; when she did, she felt a lump. Imaging, a biopsy, and further testing revealed stage 2 breast cancer. Treatment included chemo and a double mastectomy followed by reconstruction. Kristin, a therapist, believes that breast cancer has changed her life for the better. After years of battling depression and anxiety with medication, she is now medication-free and feels happier and less depressed. “I take life less seriously and try to make the most of each day,” she says. “I am more outgoing and less fearful of taking risks.” Kristin aims to use her experience to educate and inspire other women with the disease and be an example to show that, no matter their life situation, they can manage breast cancer and live a meaningful life – which she has put into action by becoming an H4TG facilitator, giving her the opportunity to help lead a group of other young survivors who need support. The word powerful speaks to her “because I have overcome many great obstacles in my life which require great power physically, mentally, and emotionally.”
MORE TO ADD: Here are some additional thoughts Kristin has about Here for the Girls (H4TG) and what the organization means to her: "Here for the Girls means having sisters who know exactly what you have been through! These sisters will be there for you no matter what decisions you make or what happens with your health. I have made some great friends in the organization I would never have met if I had not had cancer. The organization has provided me with education, emotional support, and experiences which are invaluable to me. It has also given me the opportunity to enhance my leadership skills by allowing me to be one of its facilitators, which I also greatly value."