Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Shay's Survivor Story

What happened, in summary

Shay was a few months into age 40 when her focus shifted from planning the next decade to learning how to survive breast cancer. In late September 2019, she felt that something was wrong in her body and went to see her doctor. The diagnosis was lobular breast cancer, a subtype she later described as sneaky because it had gone undetected on mammograms for the previous 4 years. The news was especially jarring because she had believed common messages about breastfeeding and mammograms reducing breast cancer risk, yet she still developed ILC after breastfeeding both of her children and having clear mammograms. Shay went through 3 surgeries and continued to recover with side effects. She was determined not to let cancer rule her life, but she also spoke openly about fear, emotions, and the reality that family and friends may move on faster than the person living with the aftermath of cancer. During recovery, Shay learned about integrative medicine and found LBCA resources. That helped her understand ILC better, have more informed conversations with her care team, and feel less alone. She became focused on educating other women affected by ILC and on staying informed about how to live after diagnosis.