I was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma – stage 2B, grade 3 – at 33 years old. I found the lump in March 2025, followed by a 3D mammogram in April and further diagnostic imaging and biopsy in June. On June 16, I received the official diagnosis. The tumor was confirmed to be fast-growing, high-grade, and triple-negative, which means it’s more aggressive and requires a proactive treatment approach.

My treatment plan includes chemotherapy first to target the tumor, followed by a double mastectomy. Depending on how the cancer responds, I may also need additional chemo or radiation afterward. Everything moved quickly after diagnosis, and while it’s been overwhelming to process, I’m facing this head-on and doing everything I can to stay strong and focused on healing.

Keri’s LifeList:

1. Trip with her family

In July 2024 at age 38, I felt a large lump in my armpit. I was scared—it was right after I finished breastfeeding my second child. I assumed it was an infection, but after an ultrasound, mammogram, and biopsy, I learned I had metastatic cancer. I’ll never forget the date—August 13—because I found out by reading the results online, alone.

After more imaging, they found the primary tumor: HER2+ breast cancer. I had a port placed and started six rounds of TCHP chemotherapy in September. Chemo hit me hard. I’ve always been healthy, and it was devastating to go from being with my kids constantly to not being able to care for them like I used to. In February, I had surgery to remove the tumor and eight lymph nodes. Unfortunately, there was residual cancer, so I’m now in targeted chemo every three weeks through the end of the year, with radiation and hormone suppression still to come.

Aaron’s LifeList:

1. A trip with his girlfriend

I was diagnosed with cancer at 32, and I’ve been in chemotherapy, radiation, or recovering from surgery ever since. I’ve had a colostomy placed and reversed, which left my intestines pretty confused. I travel from Charlotte to Duke every couple of weeks for treatment and routine bloodwork.

My kids are five and eight years old. They don’t really remember a time before I was sick. One of the hardest parts of this journey has been missing out on holidays, milestones, and the simple moments that make up everyday family life. I want to give them memories of me outside the bed, enjoying life together.

Sean’s LifeList:

1. A trip to Green Bay to see the Packers play the Panthers

I was working toward becoming a Boston Police officer and needed an up-to-date physical, which I scheduled for November 3, 2022. My physical exam went fine, but later that night my PCP called urgently: my white blood cell count was over 400,000, indicating a serious problem. I went straight to the ER, where tests and a bone marrow biopsy confirmed I had leukemia.

Everything changed overnight. My dream of joining the force was put on hold, and I shifted focus to treatment—joining a clinical drug trial and enduring intense side effects—while still working full time and caring for my disabled father. I’m now 27 and doing my best to stay hopeful and find small moments of joy amid the challenges.

Joel’s LifeList:

1. Still deciding

I was diagnosed with paraganglioma with an SDHB mutation in May 2022, at 25 years old. After several ER visits for what I thought was a kidney infection, a CT scan finally revealed a softball-sized tumor in my retroperitoneum. I had surgery in October 2022, followed by an unexpected three-week hospital stay. My doctors believed they had removed everything, and I was cleared at my six-month follow-up.

But at my one-year scan, the cancer had returned aggressively. It had spread to multiple areas, including my lungs, liver, and abdomen. I began infusion radiation treatment in February 2024, but it wasn’t effective. Surgery was no longer an option. In January 2025, I was hospitalized with a pulmonary embolism and started chemotherapy. I completed five months of infusions and recently transitioned to oral chemo, which just received FDA approval for my type of cancer. The goal now is life prolongation and maintaining the best quality of life possible.

Ashlyn’s LifeList:

1. A trip

On New Year’s Eve of 2025, I was 18 when I noticed a tumor on my left side that started bleeding. I went to the ER, had a biopsy, and later found out I had something called DFSP—a rare cancer with a name long enough to need its own zip code. I was originally told I’d need surgery… but that surgery wouldn’t happen until after my 19th birthday, and my tumor wasn’t really interested in waiting.

That’s when my mom recommended we go to a different hospital and that turned out to be one of the best decisions we made. They were able to get me into surgery quickly and remove the tumor. During recovery, a scan showed something unusual near my heart, and after another biopsy and additional procedures, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Now, I’m in active treatment—going through a six-month plan of chemotherapy and immunotherapy—and just taking things one step at a time.

Rony’s LifeList:

1. A gaming computer

I was diagnosed with cancer when I was sixteen years old, during my junior year of high school. I missed a lot of the most memorable high school events due to multiple surgeries, hospitalizations, and treatments. I’ve had a liver resection, multiple lung surgeries, and abdominal procedures. I was recently hospitalized with uncontrolled pain due to my current tumor status.

As a college student, I continue to face challenges with my health, but I have learned to live every day to the fullest. I face every setback with optimism and refuse to let my cancer derail my dreams. I am currently pursuing an electrical engineering degree, which has been my lifelong goal.

Ben’s LifeList:

1. A trip with his family

I’ve been diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma three times since May of 2020. My first diagnosis came two weeks after my 27th birthday. I’m currently in treatment for the third time. I was also my dad’s primary caregiver for the last six months of his life after he was diagnosed with terminal cancer in March of 2022.

Wesley’s LifeList:

1. Throw out the first pitch at a Braves game

2. Tickets for my family and care team to the game

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