Amber Preston

Survivor

My 5 year old daughter Grace gives me strength. This has been one of the most difficult years of my life thus far. Since my diagnosis of stage 3 ICD Breast Cancer on July 10, 2014 at age 28, my daughter has been by my side every step on this journey. She helped me with my dressing changes and drains after my bilateral mastectomy. She helped shave my head when my hair was falling out, and she was the one to tell me how beautiful I was and that it didn’t matter if I had hair, or eyelashes or “boobies”. She gave me snuggles and kisses to make me feel better during the 16 grueling rounds of chemotherapy. She dried my tears and gave me hugs, reassuring me that it was “going to be okay” while she watched me piece myself back together after my marriage fell apart in the middle of treatment. She came with me to every single radiation appointment before her school started because she “didn’t want me to be alone”. She helped me put aloe and Aquaphor on my burns from radiation. Through this year of trials and tribulation, Grace has been my strength to stay positive, resilient and to fight everyday to become a survivor.