I began annual mammograms at age 42 — earlier than the standard recommendation of 45. Because of my dense breast tissue, I also had an ultrasound immediately after each one. Double the screening. Double the reassurance.
For nearly six years, my scans came back normal.
Until one day, they weren’t.
For two years, I had complained of new clusters of cysts and sharp, random shooting pain. I was told I was “too young” and that pain was a late sign of cancer — said with a condescending tone I’ll never forget.
By the time my Stage II lobular breast cancer was diagnosed, the tumor was almost two inches long. My oncologist explained that based on its size and slow, organized cell division, it had likely been there for five to ten years, completely invisible on a mammogram.
It was finally found when a small shadow appeared on ultrasound, peeking above a cyst. The radiologist ordered a biopsy.
Here’s why it had to grow so big before it was visible: about 90% of breast cancers start in the ducts, which is what mammograms and ultrasounds are designed to detect. My cancer didn’t start there — it grew in the lobes, where milk is made.
There was no lump.
Imagine cotton candy or a spider web weaving through the hidden corners of your breast tissue. That’s what lobular breast cancer looks like. It doesn’t show up neatly on a scan. It hides. And it spreads.
For women with extremely dense breasts, the risk of breast cancer can be two to six times higher compared to women with mostly fatty tissue.
The Truth Most Women Never Hear
🎀 13% of ductal breast cancers don’t show up on a mammogram.
🎀 30% of lobular cancers — like mine — go undetected on both mammogram and ultrasound.
I had both dense breasts and lobular cancer. That combination made me part of the 30%.
What You Can Learn From My Story
I’m sharing this not to scare you, but to wake you up.
You can do everything “right” and still be missed. That’s why we have to be our own advocates.
- Get your mammograms, but don’t stop there.
- Know your breast density. If you have dense tissue or implants, ask for a baseline MRI, especially if you’re under 50.
- Trust your intuition. If you feel something — pins and needles, pain, or thickening — don’t let anyone dismiss you because of your age.
- Speak up for yourself. Dense breasts and lobular cancer can hide behind “normal” results.
And if you ever hear the words “you have breast cancer” before 50, know this: you have options.
For me, choosing a double mastectomy meant taking back control of my future. Every mom deserves to see her kids grow up — and not hear those words twice.
Why Me?
When I was first diagnosed, I kept asking, “Why me?”
I’ve dedicated my entire nursing career to women’s health.
I built a company called BOOBIE*, inspired by the very glands that were now trying to kill me.
And I breastfed my three daughters for a combined eight years. If that’s not honoring the breast, what is?
Maybe I was meant to help another woman catch hers earlier — even if it’s just one.
If one mom finds her lump early, or insists on that MRI, then it’s all worth it.
Within three weeks of my diagnosis, I was in surgery. In those weeks, my sadness turned to anger toward my body for turning on me. But through faith and prayer, that anger became gratitude.
My tumor may have been large, but it was slow-growing, organized, and contained. My body fought like a warrior — and the night before my double mastectomy, I forgave it.
My Message for You, Mama
On this National Mammogram Day, go touch your boobs.
Schedule that scan.
But don’t let a clear mammogram give you false peace of mind. Breast cancer under 50 is the fastest-growing age group.
You might be part of that up to 30% whose cancer never shows up on imaging.
Check yourself. Advocate for yourself.
Because no one knows your body like you do.
