What happened, in summary

Britney Beadle was 18 and still in high school when she found a breast lump in February 2015. An ultrasound and mammogram were arranged, but she was told 18-year-olds do not get breast cancer. A few months later, the lump had grown and her nipple inverted. Repeat imaging led to a biopsy, and she learned the same day that she had breast cancer and would need a double mastectomy. Surgery was scheduled about 1 week later, on the day of her senior prom. At first, Britney thought the cancer had been caught early. About 1 month after surgery, a PET scan showed it was already Stage IV metastatic breast cancer, with spread throughout her bones and in her liver. Later disease sites included the brain and, more recently, the lungs. She has continued scans every 3 to 4 months and treatment every 21 days for about 8 years. As of August 2023, she was on Enhertu, a difficult treatment for her because of nausea and fatigue but one she described as a miracle treatment for many people. Her latest described scan showed her liver was clear, with regression in the bones and lungs after prior progression. Britney was living with Stage IV disease while advocating for herself and emphasizing that metastatic breast cancer can still include a full life.