The MyChart alert came through after my double mastectomy, and for a moment, I could not bring myself to open it. What happened next was a lesson in fear, faith, surrender, science, and the people who help us keep going.

Days before my double mastectomy, I found myself standing on a stage holding a microphone in front of a community of women I truly admire. In this moment I was reminded me that I am still me. Not just a patient. Not just a diagnosis. This is the story of Magical May, Mic Drop Live, and the unexpected reminder I needed before surgery. Comparison doesn’t stand a chance in the face of meaningful connection!

There is something ridiculously satisfying about power washing. Watching dark, mucky brick transform into something clean and new feels invigorating. Motivating. Cancer may have slowed me down, but it also changed the way I see growth, identity, scars, and the messy beauty of becoming someone new on the other side.