At the end of 2021, I found a lump in my breast but put off getting it checked since I didn’t have insurance and, deep down, I think I knew something was wrong. In January 2022, at age 25, I was officially diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. I started treatment right away, including chemotherapy, a double mastectomy, lymph node removal, and proton radiation. After recovering, I had reconstruction and began hormone therapy.

For a while, things felt stable, but in September 2024, I received the devastating news that the cancer had spread to my bones. At just 28, I suddenly had to face what this meant for my future. Since then, I’ve been focusing on treatment, therapy, and finding joy in the small, everyday moments with my son and family.

Breighanna’s LifeList:

1. Trip to Tanganyika Wildlife Park in Kansas

I was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer at 30 years old. I was five months postpartum with our daughter when I found out. We have four kids, ages two through eleven, and hearing the words “you have cancer” at that point in our lives was devastating.

Since my diagnosis, I’ve had surgery and started on a treatment plan that includes infusions every three months. I’m grateful to still be on my first line of treatment. Some days are easier than others, but I keep going for my kids and my husband, who always finds ways to make me laugh.

Ashlyn’s LifeList:

1. A sauna

At 22, I had just returned to the United States after leaving the Marine Corps, ready to start a new chapter. Within a few months, I was diagnosed with a rare stage 4 sarcoma called Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumor. My doctors told me that without treatment, I might only have a few months to live.

I’ve gone through multiple rounds of IV and oral chemotherapy, participated in a clinical trial, and am now continuing another type of IV chemotherapy. The past few years have been full of appointments and travel for treatment, but I try to stay grounded and grateful for each day I have.

The hardest part has been watching life and opportunities pass me by. I was in school, job hunting, and planning for the future — all of that came to a stop when I got sick. But I’m still finding ways to stay hopeful and to enjoy the moments that matter.

Andrew’s LifeList:

1. Andrew is still deciding how he would like to use his LifeList.

I’m a 35-year-old wife, mom of two, and oncology nurse practitioner. In January 2025, while breastfeeding my youngest, I found a lump and was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer. My husband is Active Duty Navy, so I began treatment at a military hospital in Maryland. I completed 16 rounds of chemotherapy by July, followed by a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery.

The road hasn’t been easy — I’ve also had to manage heart complications from immunotherapy and am now working with my care team to taper off steroids. It was humbling to lose my own hair while treating patients who were going through the same thing.

This journey has been overwhelming, especially with two young kids at home, but it has also given me a renewed sense of purpose. I’ve learned to live with more intention, empathy, and gratitude for each moment.

Alison’s LifeList:

1. Trip to Detroit for Dear Jack’s 11/11 Events

In June 2021, I began experiencing frequent headaches, but I didn’t think much of it until August 1, when the pain became unbearable and I blacked out. I was rushed to the hospital, where I had to be resuscitated and was later diagnosed with hydrocephalus caused by a tumor in my brain. Emergency surgery saved my life, and I spent weeks recovering before being released just days before my 18th birthday. For several years, I underwent regular MRIs with no changes—until July 2024, when a new formation appeared. A microbiopsy confirmed I have a low-grade glioma with a V600 mutation, and I began oral chemotherapy treatment. The journey has been overwhelming and exhausting, with side effects including fatigue, fevers, and emotional stress. Despite everything, I’m trying to stay positive and keep moving forward.

Andrea’s LifeList:

1. Still deciding

I am 38 years old and was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma on March 25, 2025. I had a bilateral mastectomy on April 25 and two lymph nodes removed for further testing. Nothing showed up on the MRI, so I thought I might be in the clear. But a week later, I got the dreaded call—they found cancer in one of the lymph nodes. That meant more treatment and radiation.

My current treatment plan includes six rounds of chemotherapy and immunotherapy combined. I started on June 4 and recently completed my second round. Once that’s finished, I’ll have a short break and then start six additional rounds of just immunotherapy. I’ll also undergo targeted radiation. Because I’m HER2-positive and had lymph node involvement, the extra treatment is necessary.

Lara’s LifeList:

1. Getaway with husband

In October 2022, just a month after my 30th birthday, I was diagnosed with grade 4 glioblastoma — a terminal brain cancer. It’s the kind of news that stops everything. A 6.5 cm tumor was discovered, and I underwent a 10-hour craniotomy that removed nearly 90% of it. I recovered well from surgery, but the prognosis was devastating: just 3 to 6 months to live. That was almost a year ago. Since then, I’ve gone through radiation, months of oral chemotherapy, and now I monitor the tumor every few months. It’s currently stable, and while I know that won’t last forever, I’m still here.

Growing up, I dreamed of having a house with a pool — not just for myself, but as a space to gather with friends, laugh, and feel joy. That dream stuck with me. I’ve been doing aqua therapy at my cancer center, and it’s helped me physically and emotionally. But the nearest pool is over an hour away, and having one at home would allow me to keep moving, healing, and connecting — right in my own backyard. More than anything, it would be a place to feel like myself again.

Exa’s LifeList:

1. An above ground pool

After about a year of working with a GI doctor to figure out unexplained bleeding and anemia, I was referred for iron infusions. I was initially being seen at a local hematology/oncology clinic, where a nurse practitioner noticed that things weren’t quite adding up. She really listened to what I was describing, and instead of ordering another scope, she sent me for a CT scan. That’s when they discovered a 10.3 cm mass in my abdomen — this was in late September 2024.

Initially, they thought it might be ovarian, and I was scheduled for laparoscopic surgery in October. But when they went in, they realized the mass was actually adhered to my intestines, and I had additional tumors elsewhere. The surgery ended up being six hours long and very complex. Recovery was rough, and I was transferred to a specialized cancer center for further care. I started on oral treatment, but I wasn’t getting better and continued experiencing nausea, pain, and poor appetite. A follow-up scan revealed a tumor-bowel fistula and significant inflammation, which meant I needed a second surgery.

That second surgery was in April 2025. I advocated for better postoperative support and pain management, and the recovery went much more smoothly. There were still some setbacks — including an infected drain — but I eventually began to feel more stable. The best news? My pathology came back showing no cancer cells. I’m still on oral treatment and will be monitored with scans every few months. I’m hopeful I’ve made it through the worst of it.

Ari’s LifeList:

1. Trip to Doha Qatar for the 2025 World Rapid/Blitz Championship

2. Meet Magnus Carlsen

I was diagnosed initially at 31 when I had extreme bleeding. My boys were 10 months and 5 years old at the time. My husband had just gotten back from deployment and it was chaos from leaving our home and dogs for months before the military moved our things for us to Texas where I received treatment. Now, just a short 3 years later, I have relapsed and will have to have a transplant to hopefully have a better, long-lasting outcome. We do not plan to move back home for the sake of trying to keep normalcy for our children.

Brandi’s LifeList:

1. Trip to Orlando theme parks with her family

When I was 2 years old, I was diagnosed with an astrocytoma and given six months to live. I did chemotherapy and radiation and beat it. In 2016–2017, I developed a glioma and underwent chemotherapy and radiation and went into remission until 2025, when the glioma turned into a glioblastoma, stage 4. This prognosis is not great. They have given me 12–24 months. I’m currently on chemotherapy after having a craniotomy.

Jordan’s LifeList:

1. Trip with his parents and sister