In April 2009 I thought my body was just going through so changes but not necessarly for the worst I was only 27 with a birthday coming up in July. Then I felt a lump in my breast but I thought it was just that time of the month so I waited a month to see if the lump would go away. One month passed the lump was still their the next month my sister was begging me to go the doctor. My grandmother on my mom side passed away when I was young child and my aunt on my dad side passed away from breast cancer so I had some concern because of my family history. So my sister told me to make an appoinment with my OB/GYN so she called me every day for a week. I went in to my OB/GYN assured me that she thought it was just a cyst but she still refererred me to get a ultrasound. Taken that I was 27 the doctor thought it was just a cyst within looking at the ultrasound within 5 min the doctor sounded concerned and told me that she wanted to do a biospy because it didnt look right. I had my biospy on a wednesday and I got a phone call from my doctor that I had cancer on june 12 2009 a month before my 28th birthday. One week later I had a parital mastectomies with partial lymph node dissection.I have stage two invasive cancer. I am currently going through chemo with radiation to follow. I am lucky that i caught it early and that it didnt spread. I have learned that cancer doesnt care your age or where you are in your life. Self examination saved my life and can save yours too.

Rachel Peterson
Washington, DC