2025 WALK TO BUST CANCER 10th ANNIVERSARY

Early Detection Saved Me. Let’s Make It Possible for Everyone. This spring my life changed forever, and for the better. In March, I went in for my annual mammogram. In April, a biopsy confirmed what no one wants to hear: Lobular Carcinoma In Situ (LCIS), pre-cancerous cells quietly hiding in my breast. On a mammogram, doctors can tell that some calcifications are harmless, some are not, and some you simply don’t know about until you get a biopsy. I had both. I called the calcifications my sparkles, because they show up brighter on the mammogram screen, and because even in the scariest moments, finding a little light helped me stay strong. A small titanium clip was placed to mark the area, a quiet reminder of the journey inside me. And adding glitter to the party. By June, I was having an MRI with contrast dye, nervous about how my body would react. By July, I met the amazing Dr. Weintritt and preformed genetic testing. After an anxious, 13 days of what if’s, I gratefully found out I’m negative for every cancer marker that Myriad could test me for. But those pre-cancerous cells still needed to be removed or they could potentially bloom into an invasive cancer. In August, I had a pre-op screening and a penicillin challenge. Finally on August 19th, I had surgery to take the bad sparkles out. I’m so grateful to be cancer free, and will absolutely be following through with my stepped up screenings. Every step was scary. Some were painful. All were blessings. This journey hit even closer to home because my sister Vivian was diagnosed with aggressive HER2+ breast cancer. She was put through the ringer with surgery, chemo, radiation, the full year of treatments. It was brutal. And yet, by grace and grit, she is now in total remission. I am beyond grateful for her recovery, and profoundly aware of how lucky I am that early detection spared me that same ordeal. As a realtor, I’m an independent contractor, with no company sponsored health plan and a high deductible. Each test, each appointment, each bill felt like a mountain. But I am fortunate enough to keep climbing. Many women can’t. That’s why I’m sharing my story. Too many women delay or skip follow-up testing because of cost, fear, or lack of support. By the time symptoms appear, the tiny seed has grown into invasive cancer. Treatments become longer, harsher, more expensive -- and sometimes too late. Early detection gave me the gift of choice. The gift of action. The gift of hope. And it saved my life. I want every woman — no matter her circumstances — to have the same chance. I’m raising funds to National Breast Center Foundation. Your donation will go directly toward helping women access mammograms, biopsies, and early treatment, the very steps that saved me. If you’ve ever wondered whether your gift can truly change a life, I’m living proof that it can. Please join me in making early detection possible for everyone. With a heart full of gratitude and hope, Love, Miriam