What happened, in summary

Stephanie found a small lump in her left breast while self-employed and uninsured. Because she could not ignore the possibility of cancer, she researched options and was connected with the Bridge Breast Network, which helps uninsured and underinsured women in the Dallas area get diagnostic care. Within a week, she had a mammogram, ultrasound, and needle biopsy. The diagnosis was Stage III triple-negative breast cancer, an aggressive subtype, and her doctor warned that response to chemotherapy would be critical. Stephanie had 4 months of chemotherapy in 2 stages: AC chemotherapy and Taxol, 4 treatments of each. She also received Neulasta shots after chemotherapy to help her white blood cells recover, which caused deep bone pain. A PET scan after chemotherapy showed remission, and 2 weeks later she had a double mastectomy with expanders and reconstruction; her port was removed during the same operation. Genetic testing showed a BRCA1 mutation, so her team also recommended oophorectomy and hysterectomy after the mastectomy. Her final reconstruction surgery happened about 1 year after diagnosis. As of June 2026, Stephanie was a 10-year survivor, describing how cancer changed her marriage, her work, her use of symptom support where legal, rest, and her commitment to self-advocacy.