At 33, Sense was a busy SLP, a single mother of two, and had just closed on her new house. The last thing she expected to find during a routine shower was a lump. This is her powerful young adult breast cancer journey, a story that confronts the shocking reality of a diagnosis when you least expect it. In this episode, Sense shares the unfiltered truth of finding a golf-ball-sized tumor, her immediate self-diagnosis due to her known BRCA1 gene mutation, and the whirlwind of fear, appointments, and difficult decisions that followed. How do you navigate a life-altering illness while juggling a career and young children, especially as a single person?Sense walks us through every step of her aggressive treatment for Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, from the initial shock and the month-long wait for a diagnostic mammogram to the grueling realities of her BRCA1 breast cancer treatment. She details her experience with six months of weekly Carboplatin and Taxol chemotherapy, followed by the "terrible" AC chemo, also known as the "red devil." Sense talks candidly about losing her hair, the relief of her tumor disappearing during chemo, and the subsequent double mastectomy with nipple-sparing surgery. She also shares the difficult side effects of 30 rounds of radiation, which left her skin feeling "like a crocodile," and the challenges of recovering from multiple surgeries, including the placement of expanders and implants. Throughout her young adult breast cancer journey, her humor and resilience shine through, but she doesn't shy away from the emotional toll, especially the experience of navigating cancer as a single person. A crucial element of her survival was her incredible cancer support system; from the "soulmate" friend who dropped everything to be her note-taker at appointments to coworkers who created care packages and a cousin who drove her to every infusion. Her story highlights the immense difficulty of asking for help and the unexpected places support can be found. Perhaps most poignantly, Sense discusses the profound challenge of life after active cancer treatment, a phase she says "nobody prepares you for." She opens up about the fear of recurrence when routine scans stop and the psychological weight of transitioning from a structured treatment plan to the uncertainty of survivorship.About Our Guest:Sense is a School-Based Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP), private practice owner, and single mother of two. Originally from Antigua, she shares her story of being diagnosed with Stage 3, BRCA1-positive invasive ductal carcinoma at age 33. Sense offers a raw and honest perspective on her diagnosis, treatment, and the often-undiscussed emotional reality of life after cancer.Timestamps / Chapters:(00:00) Introduction: A Young Mother's Diagnosis(07:17) From Antigua to the US: A Foundation of Hard Work(13:08) The Discovery: Finding a Lump and Facing a BRCA1 Diagnosis(24:19) The Treatment Gauntlet: Navigating Chemo, Mastectomy, and Radiation(33:12) The Power of a Support System: “I Did Cry a Lot”(43:03) Life After Active Treatment: Why “Nobody Prepares You for the End”(48:27) Future Preventative Care and the BRCA1 Gene(53:37) Final Advice for Navigating a Cancer JourneyEpisode Resources:Follow Before Our Visit Ends on InstagramFollow Before Our Visit Ends on YouTube

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