I am 26 years old and I was diagnosed with breast cancer on October 1,2009. I am a single mother of two little ones that I take care of by myself. I work at a law firm full time as a legal assistant, I am in school full time for my bachelors degree, and I am aslo in the U. S. Naval Reserve. I was like I have so much to accomplish in life that I don't need this right now. I found a lump around the begining of September. I went to the doctor and they did an ultrasound. The ultrasound did not look very good so they scheduled a biopsy two days later. I had to wait a week for my results. That was the longest week of my life. Everyone kept telling me that nothing is wrong and that evrything is going to be ok. I knew deep down inside that it wasn't. The day of my results the doctor came in and told me the bad news. I cried and cried. I said this can't be true. I still have so much of my life to live. Every day it is hard but I try to keep my head up. I don't have a problem telling my friends because they need to know that this just doesn't happen to older women. Breast cancer has no set age. The physical concept of all of this is the most disturbing, the way this going to change my body. The only thing I am trying to do now is to be strong and still be there for my kids. I am surrounded with support from family and friends which is great.

Crystal Anderson
Carencro, LA