Hi, it’s me again! It’s that time of year for Susan G Komen More than Pink Walk. To be honest, I was going to take a step back this year as I was going to be on vacation the week of the walk. Then I thought how I can do that while I am one of the faces for the More Than Pink Walk. I’m sure by now many of you have seen my beautiful commercial airing on WTAE. I’m blessed the Susan G Komen gives me a platform to tell my story over and over again. If anything comes out of my story, is it that I want to end the stigma of being too young for breast cancer. The rate that young women like myself are getting diagnosed with breast cancer is disgusting. The medical field needs to change. In some cases, 40 is too late. By the time a woman is diagnosed she could be stage 4. I was 33 years old when I was diagnosed at stage 3. If my lump had never been discovered, I wouldn’t have gotten a mammogram until 40. By that time, my cancer would have spread beyond my lymph nodes to other organs.

This is my first year with a team. I chose the name Maria’s Village because I would not be where I am today without the help of my family, friends, coworkers, nurses, Drs. and even strangers. AKA My Village. Whether it was a simple “How are you today”, a ride to an appointment, or sitting with me when I cried when I had to make difficult decisions. No matter how big or how small your involvement was I am forever grateful and blessed to have such a strong village.

The More Than Pink walk is important to me because I have been doing this since I was a little girl. I have a long family history of Breast Cancer. My Grandmother Louise Costa was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in 1989. At that time, she was not given a great outcome. I’m proud to say at the time she passed ( not from cancer)  in September of 2020 that she was a 31-year Breast Cancer survivor. From my own Mother, to Aunts, Cousins and friends. This disease does not discriminate. Within my family alone each woman that had genetic testing done for the BRCA genes, the results have come back negative. Yet we all had to fight the same fight. 

By now most of you know my story. July 25th, 2022, the day my world stopped turning and my sparkle dimmed. I was diagnosed with breast cancer. One month after I started my fabulous new job. One year to the date after I was told I was too young to have breast cancer and denied a mammogram. I’m 33 years old, I’m single, am I going to die, how do I tell my parents my brothers, my family and friends. Heck how do I tell my boss! How was I going to fight this?  These were all the thoughts that rushed through my head while I took that life altering phone call in the tiny conference room. After I met with my team of doctors, I decided it was best to have a bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction. Everyone was pleased with the results, and I was on the road to recovery. Unfortunately, my cancer has spread to my lymph nodes. Twelve were biopsied, eleven came back malignant.  My tumor was 10 cm. I am Stage 3 Invasive Lobular Carcinoma Her 2 –, Hormone Positive.  Hormone positive cancers grow very slowly. On one hand I was lucky as it did not go beyond my lymph nodes but on the other for my tumor to reach 10cm my cancer has been growing for a long time. When I was told I was too young in 2021 my cancer was already inside of me.  My next step was 16 rounds of chemotherapy then 25 rounds of radiation.

Due to this I immediately had to go on hormone suppression. Before starting chemo, I went through the process of freezing and harvesting my eggs. Hopefully to preserve some type of fertility.   Hormone positive cancers grow very slowly. On one hand I was lucky as it did not go beyond my lymph nodes but on the other for my tumor to reach 10cm my cancer has been growing for a long time. When I was told I was too young in 2021 my cancer was already inside of me.  My next step was 16 rounds of chemotherapy then 25 rounds of radiation.

We were all set to go then it was discovered that I had developed an infection on my right side.Pseudomonas came for me hard and attacked not only my right side but eventually my left. Sadly, both expanders had to be removed. Leaving me flat chested. Something that was never part of the plan.  Chemo began November 11th and finished May 5, 2023. There were so many complications I had to keep delaying treatment. I got a nice little break from May 5th until May 28th when radiation started. A short five-week journey turned into a seven-week journey. It was discovered I continued to have fluid build up on my right side. This wasn’t my first round of a seroma and would not be my last. Yet another JP Drain was placed at this time. I completed my final Radiation on July 13th, 2023. Two days later I ended up back in the hospital with another infection due to Pseudomonas. By this time, I was over being sick and over JP drains. I eventually got better, but the seroma did not. I had yet another surgery on September 8th, 2023, to finally remove the seroma for good. Another two months of JP drains. Happy to say this surgery was a success and I have been JP drain free since November of 2023.

As of today, I am still healing. I am still learning to love this new body of mine. I’m still adjusting to all the new medication I am taking. If you got this far, I’m inviting you to walk with me Sunday May 19th,2024 and donate if you can.  You can join me in Schenley Park or take a walk on your own. This will be my Second walk as someone fighting Breast Cancer. Together we can end the stigma of being too young for breast cancer and continue to fight for a cure.

Much Love,

Maria