Historic Devastation: Hurricane Helene Left 500 Miles of Misery. Send Aid Now 

Share Your Story

Share your inspirational survivor or supporter story with others

Life with Breast Cancer

My name is Rossella Buttaro. I am 32 years old, a mother to 4 beautiful children and wife to a wonderfull husband. I was diagnosed with breast cancer on Febuary of 2010. After further testing I soon found out that it spread to my bone. It was devastating news for me and my family but I knew we had to be strong and fight through it. Now after months of treatment and mastectomy surgery I am cancer free and ready for the next step. I know it's a long road but with the support of my family and my own strength, I know that we will make it through this tough part in our lives. Wish all the best to all who go through life with breast cancer.

UPDATE: The Breast Cancer Site was informed that, after a long fight with cancer, Rossella Buttaro passed away on January 20,2021. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family in this sad time.

Rossella Buttaro
brooklyn, NY

my mums battle

my mum was diganosed with cancer when she was 40, she is now 46 and it hasn't stopped her from doing what she love's, she still works, plays darts, goes on holidays, plays with her grand children. she is muchly loved in our family and none of us want to see her go, though all of us are strong for her, we love our mum so much, she means so much to us.

jessica tetley
muswellbrook, Australia

And She Lived Happily Ever After

I don't think anyone is ever "prepared" or "ready" to hear that they've been diagnosed with cancer. I know that when I was diagnosed on June 24th with breast cancer I felt as though the world had stopped. I can remember my doctor calling me to tell me and my trying to reach my mother to tell her, but my fingers wouldn't work right. I couldn't think straight. It felt like of those scenes you might see in a movie, where everyone else around you is going about their day like normal, and your just standing there frozen.

Breast cancer is not something that has run in my family, however I have learned that 80% of the women diagnosed come from families with no history of it. How shocking is that? Although no one deserves this. I had a lumpectomy two weeks ago. A wonderful surgeon who got all the cancer, I am cancer-free! However, because they found it in one of my lymph nodes (and they were removed) I have to go through both chemotherapy and radiation. I call it "bringing out the big guns." This will start second week of September for me. I am meeting some amazing women. My sister survivors - I don't think I could get through this without their support and my deep faith in a God who says "The number of my days He will fulfill." I always loved life - it was like a "water color painting." Now the colors are even MORE vibrant than before. I am determined that this will ONLY be a chapter in my life - NOT my life and I will "pay it forward" and help someone as I have been helped. I look forward to that day.

Kelly Richards
East Greenbush, NY

Whatever You Need God's Got It

My Name Is Michael W. Enette Jr, I Am From Dallas,Texas And My Dad Is A 6-Year Male Breast Cancer Survivor. I Was His Caretaker. I Was There From The Time He Was Diagnosed And Up To Him Having His Surgery. When I Found Out My Dad Had Breast Cancer Yes I Was Terrified Because I Have Heard Of It Spreading. God Watched Over My Family And My Dad Abd Let Him Have A Successful Surgery. He Got A Pink Suit For Breast Cancer. I Wanted One. He Got Me One. I Wear It All The Time. All Of My Friends Like That I Wear Pink For My Dad. They All Say Real Men Wear Pink Well Me & My Dad Wear Pink Suits. Me & My Dad Have Good Testimonies But His Is Way Better Than Mine.

Michael W .Enette Jr.
Dallas, TX

my journey with breast cancer

In Dec of 2008 i got a phone call from the doctor that i had stage three breast cancer , i had five and half months of chemo,lumpatumy, breast reductatoin and six and ahalf weeks of radition , i though all was fine but in nov of 2009 ihad stage one lung cancer , i thought omy god i cant go through any more ,so i decided that i needed a higher power to believe in , so started going to church i found a lot of peace there and confort . i go to support groups ,it helps to talk to people who have cancer too .i helpout at the churches food bank it makes me feel good to help ihad my second mamogram and so for no more cancer , so there is hope all you have to do is believe it was hard for me to belive that i could servive cancer but hopfully ican i have to have a cat scan on my lung at the end of this month i pray that it will be ok , God bless all that has cancer and their familys

Kathy Amlin
Boise, ID

20 year "Survivor" Of a Stage IIIA Breast Cancer

I am Michelle Williams-Stevens and a 20+ year survivor of a Stage IIIA breast cancer. At the tender age of 24 I was diagnosed. I had to undergo surgery to remove my breast and then several grueling months of chemotherapy. This was a very devastating moment in my life. My faith in God is what kept me going and the main reason I am alive today. About a year ago the Lord put it in my spirit that it was time to give back some of those years he had blessed me with .Thats when I started working on a project that will be able to encourage people diagnosed with cancer and help them live stronger throughout their battle. "Colors Of Hope" is abbreviated for (Celebrate Our Lives Out Reach Survivors Of Hope). All sickness is not unto death. I am learning everyday that as long as their is "Hope" there is a "Healing" Together we will find a cure and "Conquer" cancer.

Michelle Williams-Stevens
East Orange, NJ
My cancer journey

My cancer journey

To prepare for turning 50 in January of 2010, I lost 40 pounds in '09, was exercising every day, eating healthy, and feeling GREAT! So it wounded me to the core to be told I had breast cancer on April Fool's Day of 2010. I had been religious about mammograms since my Mom had a mastectomy at age 56, and this was my 10th screening. The news wasn't good either -- I HAD to have bilateral mastectomy -- all my breast tissue was that bad. So on the morning of April 25th, while many of my friends walked in our local "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk" -- I had surgery to remove my breasts and begin reconstruction. What a blessing to find out my lymph-nodes were clear! No chemo or radiation needed -- just Tamoxifen, which has made me very sick, but I'm learning to cope. I have my 2nd surgery in late Sept. to finish the reconstruction . . . and then will need a hysterectomy in November to avoid ovarian cancer, since my cancer (invasive ductal & lobular carcinoma) was 85% estrogen positive. So this has been the toughest year of my life . . . but it's also the year I've discovered just how many people truly love me. The outpouring of support from friends and family has been overwhelming to me. God has blessed me every step of the way, and shown me how precious life is. I'm so very thankful for modern medical technology that exists today. It's allowed me to keep looking feminine (see photo, post-phase-1 of reconstruction) . . . and has saved my life as well. I PRAY EARNESTLY that a cure will be found for this disease. My beautiful daughter and two granddaughters need that hope!

Ruth Andrews-Vreeland
Albuquerque, NM

My way

In the fall of 2004 I was changing jobs and decided that I should go and have the mammogram that my doctor had recommended the year before. I was so busy working I just didn't bother to make the time. When the doctor came in he said that they saw something on my right breast which he believed to be cancer. I asked him what he thought that I should do and he said "if you were my mother or sister I would have it removed." I took his advise and went to a surgeron who advised me to have a biospy because I was only 41 and why would I want to go through a surgery and destroy my breast. The long and short of it was I did the biospy which turned out to be cancer.I ended up having two lumpectomies two weeks apart only to find that they still did not get it all. I was in so much pain after waking up from the second surgery and so discourged because it still was in me. I made a life alterning decision that day and decided that I could easy live without a breast but not without being around to see my children grow up. I decided to have a mastecomy with reconstruction.I speak of these events often and openly because if I could ever express anything to any women it is that while your family is the most important thing to you,if you do not take care of yourself, you won't be around to be there to help them grow. The other thing I learned from this experience is that a breast is just a breast they can be replaced but you as a wife, mother, significant other or sister you can never be.

Robbin Lindell
Reno, NV
It Can't Happen to Me!

It Can't Happen to Me!

Hi, I am here to tell you that there is a life after cancer. In August 2009, I was working for very prominent lung cancer surgeons at a huge teaching hospital. On August 18th, I ran down to the other hospital to have my yearly mammogram done during my lunch hour. I had it done, and then I waited. As I sat there, I thought, well I know I won't have cancer because I drink plenty of water, I walk all the time with my friends and I take care of myself. The tech came up to me and said the radiologist would like to take more films, so I did. I waited again. Now they wanted an ultrasound. Then the radiologist came in the room and said there was a worrisome nodule and they would like to do a needle biopsy. I said, sure, I will just get it all done today. As she did the ultrasound, I could see her looking at the nodule with a worrisome look on her face. I saw that look before on the lung cancer surgeons' faces that I worked for everyday. I spoke to hundreds of patients and scheduled tests for them. I always said to myself, it will never happen to me. Well guess what--it did. I was diagnosed about four days later. I did what the doctors told me to do, 6 rounds of chemo, surgery, then radiation. I had great family support from my husband, children and good friends, and I realized how thankful and blessed I am. And here I am, looking back--and healthy! My pathology came back excellent! I have promised to make my life better since my cancer, and life is better! So keep praying, God hears you, and don't give up!

Lynne Christy
West Newton, PA
It Can't Happen to Me!

It Can't Happen to Me!

Hi, I worked for wonderful lung cancer surgeons for 10 years at a very prominent cancer teaching hospital. It was always everyone else who got cancer, as I spoke to heartbroken patients and families everyday on the phone. Then in August 2009, I ran down the street to another hospital to get my yearly mammogram. The technician performed the test, and after waiting a few minutes, and asked if I could stay and have some repeat films down. No big deal. They they wanted an ultrasound, then the MD came in and said they needed to do a needle biopsy. I said, sure, I am on my lunch hour and I may as well get it done all at once. As I watched the doctor's face as she looked at my films while performing the biopsy, I knew it was cancer because I worked with surgeons and I saw that look before. It turned out to be breast cancer, with a HER+ positive result. I did what the doctors told me---6 rounds of cancer, surgery, then radiation. I did it! My pathology came back excellent! All 22 lymph nodes are cancer free! So have faith out there, it's not over at all if you get diagnosed. There is so much breast cancer research going on all the time. Oh, and if you get a chance to do the Susan Komen Walk for Breast Cancer--do it--it will enlighten your heart like nothing else!

Lynne Christy
West Newton, PA