In celebration of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Lindsey shared how she battled it twice at different stages of her life and stayed hopeful with support from the people around her.

Share with us a little bit about your journey with Breast Cancer. When & how did you first discover you had Breast Cancer?

My college roomie, Leslie, taught me the importance of early detection because she had breast cancer at 24. I was 30 when I found my suspicious lump even though I had no immediate family history. It happened while packing for a trip. I saw my body in the mirror and it made me think of doing a routine breast exam. I felt a firm pea-sized mass in my right breast and thought it was unusual.

My doctor immediately ordered a mammogram and an ultrasound. Later I learned that it’s common for premenopausal women to have dense breast tissue, which is what I have. It’s a problem because dense tissue looks similar to cancer tissue in a mammo. The use of an ultrasound helps medical professionals tell the difference.

I’m so grateful that my doctor listened to me from the start. I’ve heard stories from breast cancer patients who reported their symptoms and their doctor was dismissive. For some, it took several visits because the patient was considered too young for a mammogram.

My treatment involved a nipple-sparing mastectomy of the right breast with immediate reconstruction. My cancer was estrogen positive, meaning it was fueled by hormones, and I was given a daily pill called Tamoxifen. This medication blocks estrogen, and causes side effects similar to menopause. I also went through two rounds of fertility preservation.

At 32, I was diagnosed a second time with breast cancer in the same breast, even though my margins tested clear the first time. My plastic surgeon was the one who caught the suspicious lump during a follow-up appointment. I had felt it, too, but I thought it was scar tissue from my first surgery.

Again, it was estrogen positive, but because it grew while I was on Tamoxifen, my doctors treated it as a new case of breast cancer. I had a lumpectomy, chemotherapy and 33 doses of radiation. I’ve had no evidence of disease for nearly four years. I’m in preventative maintenance mode now. It involves yearly mammograms and ultrasounds, regular appointments with an oncologist, and taking Tamoxifen for another five years.

How has it changed you, the roles you play, and your life in general?

I had to let go of the pre-cancer version of myself and create space for the ways my health experiences changed me. It was a hard lesson to learn because I spent the early part of my recovery trying to get back physically and emotionally to the old Lindsey.

When I was diagnosed a second time that’s when I knew there was no going back. I had to change. I opened up about my story and used Instagram as an outlet to process the reality of my emotions and experiences.

Ultimately, I learned the value in prioritizing my well-being. As a former people-pleaser with a vocal inner critic, it is something that I still work at every day. I used to be focused on self-improvement, not knowing that self-acceptance is also an important aspect of building confidence. Instead of being critical about everything going wrong, it helps to reframe the situation by celebrating wins: big ones, small ones, and everything in between. It keeps us light-hearted and it’s easier to go with the flow.

What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced throughout this journey?

Adjusting to the hormonal changes from my medication. I didn’t realize how important estrogen is for regulating sleep, metabolism, body temperature and moods. I’ve had to build self-awareness to manage these quality of life issues. Yes, the surgeries and treatments were hard, but getting back into the flow of life was harder. The mental and emotional side effects required the help of a therapist, community support groups and coaches.

There’s also the aspect of body acceptance and learning how to feel at home in it. Sometimes I wake up feeling like a 70-year-old trapped in a 36-year-old body. My joints and bones get stiff from neuropathy caused by chemo. My brain gets foggy. I have mood swings. My weight fluctuates.

I’ve gone out of my comfort zone to try new activities that give me confidence in my physical abilities. I went rock-climbing in Joshua Tree and white-water kayaking in Montana. For the last ten months I’ve taken up strength training and weight-lifting at a gym. It took me a while to find joy in it, but now I look forward to my workouts.

Next were my friends who had cancer or were also battling cancer at that time because it’s different when you have a support group that talks about what you actually have and then my friends who were also doctors were very encouraging. The whole cancer team in the hospital of Makati Centre played a huge part in my healing.

What are some of the motivating factors that powered you through all these challenges?

When I started using my Instagram as a micro-blog for my health experience, I connected with young women around the world who were going through the same thing. Oh, the beauty of hashtags! I saw a woman with a beautiful shoe collection wear a different pair to each dose of radiation. It inspired me to use my lippy collection and I wore a different shade of lipstick to each of my 33 radiation doses. When I lost my hair, I got into hats, scarves, bandanas and headbands. Even today, keeping up with my doctor’s appointments, I make it a point to plan a cute outfit because it boosts my mojo.

I’ve been involved with several community groups including: Young Survival Coalition, The Breasties, First Descents, Barbells for Boobs, The Foundation For Living Beauty, Yoga 4 Cancer, Luna Peak Foundation, Haus of Volta, Rethink Breast Cancer, Flat Closure Now, Ottawa Monthly Gatherings and more. Each group brings something unique to the table, and I’m eternally grateful for the role all have played in rebuilding my life.

Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently?

It would’ve been helpful to talk with breast cancer survivors who opted out of reconstruction and chose flat closure. I learned about this option after-the-fact. Currently, I’m having problems with my implant and I plan to have it explanted soon.

I’m already small-chested. In fact, my surgeon used the smallest implant for my procedure. I don’t think it was worth it to go through all that surgery only to have it break a few years later.

What do you look forward to most next?

So much! Seeing where my creative practices and writing takes me, family planning after my explant surgery, exploring more of Canada. It’s wonderful to have reached a point of stability in my health.

What’s one advice you’d share with the #LBCommunity women about Breast Cancer awareness?

​​Listen to your intuition. Advocate for yourself because you deserve to feel at home in your body.

When you prioritize your well-being, both physically and emotionally, you can show up as the strongest version of yourself for loved ones. This includes monthly breast exams with remembering “feel it on the first.” Self-care is healthcare.

What’s one word of encouragement you’d give for all the women in their Breast Cancer recovery journey?

You are not alone. There are women who “get it.” Find a support community that empowers you. This applies to any hardship, too. When women support women, magic follows.

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