The Boob Bees

ABOUT DONATIONS
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$100 donation = 1 mammogram

Did you know $100 funds a mammogram? Which means every $100 donated could save a life.

The Pledge the Pink event recognizes donations by placing a pink flamingo in their annual Flocks of Love display. Each bird represents $100 raised in the fight against breast cancer.

Beneficiaries are chosen by the Pledge the Pink event.
https://donate.pledgethepink.com/


OUR BREAST CANCER STORY
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Hi, I’m Monica, and this is my sister, Jessica. We’ve both had breast cancer.

Early detection changed everything for both of us, and we’re sharing our story for one reason: to encourage women to advocate for themselves, talk to their doctors, and get screened as early as possible.

We are statistical outliers. It was completely shocking that two sisters from a large family of women with no history of breast cancer would both be diagnosed within months of each other.

Breast cancer simply wasn’t on our radar. It didn’t run in our family, and honestly, what were the odds?

Then, in early 2023, Jessica was diagnosed with DCIS.

Because I suddenly had a family history of breast cancer, my doctor agreed that I should begin screening earlier than I otherwise would have. I was under 40 and previously had not qualified for routine mammograms.

I scheduled my very first mammogram. And there it was: a grape-sized tumor.

At 38 years old, I was diagnosed with Stage 1B invasive ductal carcinoma. Had Jessica not been diagnosed first, I likely would have waited another two years before reaching the recommended age for routine screening.

We like to call Jessica “the messenger.” I call her the sister who saved my life.

Jessica’s cancer was also caught extremely early, and she is doing fantastic.

During my lumpectomy, we learned that my cancer had already begun spreading into a lymph node. I went on to complete six weeks of radiation treatment and continue today with long-term medication to reduce my risk of recurrence.

We both underwent genetic testing for BRCA mutations. Jessica’s results were negative. Mine brought yet another unexpected twist: I have a rare BRCA2 Variant of Unknown Significance, or VUS. That means there currently isn’t enough scientific information to determine whether the variant increases cancer risk or is completely harmless. For now, we wait as researchers continue to collect more data.

We were young. We were healthy. We were strong. And neither of us expected breast cancer. But we also know our stories could have been very different if we had waited.

We are incredibly grateful for the amazing medical teams at Weill Cornell and UNC Rex who listened to us, advocated for us, and treated us with compassion and kindness throughout this journey.

Our biggest message is simple: Early detection matters. Talk to your doctor. Know your risk factors. Advocate for yourself.