I’m in My 30s and I Have Metastatic Breast Cancer

I’ve continued to live my best New York City life, cherishing every moment with my loved ones, enjoying the job of my dreams, and seeing beauty in everything — just as I did before.

In these past few months, I’ve realized I’m surrounded by inspiring women doing the same thing from Los Angeles to New York, nationwide, and around the world. This isn’t just about me. Women living with metastatic breast cancer are called “thrivers” for a reason: Nothing can stop us from living our lives to the fullest.

Here, in their own words, are some of their stories. 

Susan, 32

Young women get a lot of, “You’re too young.” Or, I heard repeatedly, “It’s definitely stage one,” before my staging had been done.

I was diagnosed at age 30, “de novo,” meaning I was diagnosed stage four from the start. It had already spread to my spine. It felt strange because I was the healthiest I’d been in my entire life.

When I found out that it was metastatic — and before I had done more research — I was devastated. I was crying and screaming. I was inconsolable. I couldn’t believe it. From what I understood, it was terminal. A death sentence. It felt like so many of my hopes and dreams of the future came crashing down.

Since then, I’ve learned there’s way more to it than when you just google “metastatic breast cancer.” You can really live a full life. It doesn’t have to be a whole part of me. Every day, I try to maintain 90 percent of me, and then 10 percent of me is dealing with this cancer journey.

I am not unrealistic about this disease. But just like there is the possibility of a shortened life span, there are possibilities of wonderful things too. I want to stay myself — and I’ve realized that I can stay myself and it doesn’t have to be this huge part of my thoughts. I don’t even think about it all the time anymore. And I’m still in heavy treatment.

I have changed my lifestyle a lot since diagnosis: I eat way more fruits and vegetables, stopped drinking, prioritize moving my body, and cut down work and family stress by meditating and saying mantras. In a lot of ways, I actually feel better than I did before.

I am fully living my life. I have joy. I love to dance. I’m super active. I love surfing. Pre-diagnosis, I was surfing three hours every single day, five or six times a week. You couldn’t get me out of the water. I had to start wearing a watch because, otherwise, I would just stay out there all day, surfing and watching dolphins.