For Ashley L., sharing her story is a part of her healing journey.
In October 2022, Ashley decided to be proactive and get her first mammogram since her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 50 and is also BRCA 1 positive. At just 35 years old, this routine procedure led to a stage 1 breast cancer diagnosis with abnormal webbing that is only present in 6% of breast cancer patients. Shortly after, she learned that she, like her mother, was BRCA positive, another finding she needed to process.
In the following months, Ashley faced one life-changing, frightening event after another:
November 2022: Right breast removal including the nipple, spacer in place
December 2022: ACL surgery
January 2023: Stage IV ovarian cancer diagnosis
February 2023: Treatment begins at new hospital, City of Hope, with new doctors
Current Day: Ashley continues to receive infusions every three weeks and takes a chemo pill every day, which will go on for some time. Eventually, she will need to remove the left breast and nipple to prevent the return of the breast cancer and to prevent it from acting as a gateway for the BRCA gene.
As she continues her battle with breast and ovarian cancer, Ashley refuses to allow her diagnoses to define her. “I love trying new things, going on adventures, and I make a really big point to give myself space to have bad days,” she shared. She finds normalcy in her work as a Director of Staffing in property management, a career she finds extremely rewarding, and cherishes her time with friends, family, and her German Shepard, Ms. Harley. Through the hardships of treatment, Ashley remains steadfast in her passions of travel, painting, and writing, even recently publishing a children’s book!
Another favorite pastime of Ashley’s is walking, so when she saw an ad for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day® online she knew that she wanted to participate. As an active participant in other fundraising walks, Ashley decided to embark on the Komen 3-Day to not only raise money for breast cancer research, but to also enjoy the personal accomplishment of walking 60 miles.
Since signing up, she’s found the Pink Bubble to be a tremendously supportive community as she copes with both breast and ovarian cancer. “The Pink Bubble makes me feel not alone, supported and has helped me identify things I was concerned about physically through treatment,” she shared. In the meantime, she can’t wait to experience the 2024 San Diego 3-Day among likeminded people who are committed to ending breast cancer forever!