I had my first mammogram at age 40. I had no family history of cancer but I did what my Dr. Told me to do. On my 3rd mammogram at age 42 they thought they saw something. They did an ultra sound and determined it "probably wasn't cancer and I had dense breasts." I was asked to come back in 6 months. In 6 months what probably wasn't cancer was now 3.4cm. I didn't even know it was there. Yet there it was...you could easily feel it...if you were looking. But I wasn't bcs " it probably wasn't cancer" and I had no history. The day they found it I almost left and rescheduled bcs the Dr. was backed up and I was busy at work. I would be dead had I done that. I was diagnosed with Stage 2A invasive ductal carcinoma HER2+. I was told it was aggressive and I needed chemo and a mastectomy right away. The first Dr. I went to made me feel like I would die. Then I went to Duke. They gave me hope and told me I was a survivor. I just finished 6 chemos, had reconstructive surgery and will continue with Herceptin until April 2015. I will survive and thrive! My attitude is cancer only takes what you let it take. I have gained much more than I have lost. I'm stronger than I ever knew I could be. I proudly wear my bald head everywhere I go. If just one person looks at me and gets a mammogram it's enough. My fellow survivors ...they are looking TO us not at us. Give them the message...cancer doesn't care who you are. Fight on!

Kelly Bergenstock
Kill Devil Hills, NC