Carrie Slomczenski

Survivor

On November 20, 2017 I was told I had breast cancer at the age of 33. I found my lump while doing a self-breast exam. My doctor thought it was just a cyst and told me I had no swollen lymph nodes. A mammogram showed a suspicious lump and 3 swollen lymph nodes behind a muscle. Breast cancer is more common in younger women than we think! I wish so many young women knew how important it is to do self-exams. I have had so many friends start to do self-exams because of my diagnosis. I tested negative for 17 breast cancer genes and was told I had none of the high-risk factors for breast cancer. While going through treatment I am glad that I had my family and friends. I am a very strong and independent woman but after getting this diagnosis it crushed me. It was hard to lean on others when I needed them but it was important to help me get through it. I am also glad that I was able to lean on other young women being treated for breast cancer both in online support groups and at the hospital I am being treated at. I will spend the rest of life advocating for all women of all ages to do self-exams and advocating for mammograms.