Lorrie Centeno

Survivor

Young mother’s are not supposed to get cancer!

In 1993 I was 26 when I heard those ugly words “you have cancer” I was a young mother of a 2 year old and 5 year old. I remember I just wanted to talk to a long time survivor that was diagnosed when she was young. I had a lumpectomy, 6 months of chemo and radiation, lost all my hair, had days that I couldn’t get up off the couch. I got through it then 6 years later at 32 I got a 2nd cancer, this time the other breast. Went through it all over again surgery, chemo and radiation. In 2004 at age 38 I took the BRCA test and tested positive and it was recommended that I have a hysterectomy and a double mastectomy. Along with my oncologist, I decided to have a hysterectomy but decided not to have a mastectomy. In 2008 I was 42 and received a 3rd diagnosis. I knew at this point I had to have the mastectomy. In May I turned 48 so now I am that woman that I wanted to talk to when I was first diagnosed.