Up this week we sat down with Paige, as she told us her inspiring story. Read along to learn more about her diagnosis, experience and how she found her way to AnaOno and joining the Never Alone Community.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your surgical journey
"I was 25 when I was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer after finding a small lump in 2016. I had a single mastectomy, expanders, and reconstruction, and once I healed, I hoped to leave Ohio‚ and move to Silver Spring, Maryland, for my husband’s work. Nine months later, we felt the pull to head west in search of something more, away from the busyness and stress of the city. That wakeup call made it clear: I needed a different way of life and mountains!
One year after moving to Denver‚ the day before my 28th birthday and bachelorette party‚ I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Metastatic Breast Cancer. A month later, my husband and I eloped on a Tuesday in March in Rocky Mountain National Park, preparing to move back to Ohio, near family and the Cleveland Clinic, and start treatment. Our close family came out to celebrate with us. Looking back, I wish cancer didn't intersect with so many big life milestones, but that’s part of my story.
After my stage 4 diagnosis and elopement in the gorgeous Rockies, we moved to Ohio in the spring of 2018 so I could be treated by the best doctor I could find; I'm still with him today, he is truly the best! In 2022, I had a minor progression, but thankfully, it was caught early, and I was able to start a new treatment plan that has been working ever since. I just finished my 31st cycle of Kisqali, my second line of treatment, and I had scans this month to check in on my cancer seven years later.
I just turned 35 this year, and while it’s been a wild ride, I’m incredibly grateful to still be here, sharing my story and advocating for others on this path!
Tell us a brief summary of your surgical journey
"My surgical journey is pretty simple, and I was lucky to know that my mastectomy in 2016 followed by an expander and then reconstruction went smoothly overall, other than a little infection that cleared up quickly. In the following years I found ways to love my body more than I ever had pre-cancer. AnaOno was not on my radar at all at this time. Fast forward to nine years later, one of my implants was successfully replaced recently and I’m healing up. I had a silent rupture last year that was detected on my routine images. I struggled to find a doctor, as this was very different from cancer; it seemed that the healthcare system didn't prioritize my implant issue at all, and I had to leave the state just to find a doctor who would take me. I am grateful that it went smoothly, and I didn't have serious complications as a result of the wait. I was able to live my life mostly as normal while avoiding pressure on that rupture. I am super happy with my recent reconstruction!"
What is something you would like others to know about recovery?
"Recovery isn’t the word I would choose while living with Stage 4 cancer. By definition, recovery means a return to a normal state of health, mind, or strength‚ and that isn't my reality, and how could it be? Instead, I chose the word healing.
We can heal from so much if we allow ourselves to. I recently had a breakthrough: healing isn't about fixing our bodies or ourselves. It's about loving our bodies, showing them care and attention, and creating space for growth. That is what true healing looks like!
If there is one thing you would like to community to take away from your story, what would it be?
Now is the time to LIVE! I've learned that doing what I love with the people I love is what makes me feel most alive. Listening to my heart and staying grounded on this journey has led me to a great life‚ even while living with a terminal illness in my 20's and 30's.
"To anyone reading this: You are magic, and your possibilities are endless! Dream BIG!!"
If you could describe AnaOno in one word, what would it be?
Inclusive.
