Hi, I'm Michelle, a 35-year-old Naples native, mom of three, and breast cancer survivor.

My journey began in December 2018, but the story starts much earlier. In 1992, when I was 2 years old, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 31. She tested negative for the BRCA gene and was relieved knowing she had two young daughters. After 25 years cancer-free, she was diagnosed again in October 2018. This time, BRCA testing came back positive, meaning her original result had been a false negative.

Because of her diagnosis, my sister and I were tested. In December 2018, while 8 months pregnant with my second child, I learned I carried the BRCA gene as well. The news was overwhelming. Due to pregnancy and breastfeeding, I had to delay screenings for several years.

In February 2024, my first mammogram came back normal. Just a few months later, in May, I found a lump in my left breast. Testing and a biopsy followed, and on my 34th birthday in July 2024, I was diagnosed with Stage 2 Triple Negative Breast Cancer.

The tumor grew quickly, measuring 7cm x 7cm by the time I started chemotherapy in August 2024. I lost my hair in September, which was one of the hardest parts of my journey. Then, in October, my mom was diagnosed with Stage 4 peritoneal cancer. We went through treatment together, but while I was improving, she was getting worse.

I finished chemotherapy on January 23, 2025, and underwent surgery in February. On February 20, I received the news that I had achieved a complete response to treatment. There was no residual cancer, my lymph nodes were clear, and I was cancer-free. The very next day, February 21, 2025, my mom peacefully passed away, just one day after hearing my good news.

While recovering from surgery, starting radiation, helping my children process the loss of their grandmother, and planning my mom's funeral, I leaned on the strength my mother had shown me my entire life.

I completed radiation in April 2025 and continued Keytruda through September 2025. Today, I continue regular blood work and scans, and by the grace of God, I remain cancer-free.

My journey has connected me with many doctors and lifelong monitoring due to the BRCA gene and the risk of recurrence. "Scanxiety" is now part of my reality, but I continue moving forward.

I share my story in hopes of bringing awareness to family history, BRCA awareness, and the importance of knowing your body.

All donations will go directly to Michelle and her family to help cover medical expenses, travel, appointments, and other costs throughout her ongoing journey.