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Cindy had dreams of becoming an Educator. During her four years as a substitute teacher, she continued her education, earning her Bachelor’s degree in English in 2020. “I wanted to eventually become a certified teacher,” Cindy states. “So I was in the process of finishing up tests that would eventually certify me,” she continued. According to Cindy, life was where it needed to be. Outside of her studies, the then 29-year-old enjoyed hanging out with friends and spending time with her family.
While life seemed great, one visit to the Emergency Room would change Cindy’s life forever. In the midst of running errands, she began to feel excruciating pain in her arm. She noticed while taking a shower a sizable lump in her breast. The pain grew unbearable, so later, she admitted herself to the hospital. Doctors stated the lump was a cyst. After several biopsies and ultrasounds, around November 2021, she was diagnosed with Stage 2 Breast Cancer. “I was at work during my prep hours with a friend when I found out,” said Cindy. “We were expecting the results within two weeks, but we received them a few days sooner. I had to download an app that was connected to the hospital, then I passed the phone to my friend because I didn’t want to see it, but she eventually showed it to me and it was confirmed that I had breast cancer.”
During Chemotherapy in December, Cindy made the difficult decision to leave her teaching job. “I was sitting around wondering what was going to happen now,” she stated. The dream Cindy had been working toward now looked bleak. She began to worry about what was next and how she would be able to survive financially.
While she had the support of her family and friends, Cindy struggled with her diagnosis. “In a way, I felt like I was letting everybody down,” she shared. This eventually led her into a slope of depression. However, Cindy was a fighter and didn’t give up. She knew she had to do something.
After surfing the web looking for organizations that assisted those with breast cancer, she stumbled across United Breast Cancer Foundation. Cindy decided to apply to the Individual Grant Program, and within a few weeks, she received some great news. “I’ll never forget the day,” Cindy said. “I was leaving for home from a chemo treatment when I received a phone call from UBCF telling me that they were going to pay my rent. It was such an amazing feeling knowing that there’s real help out there, it’s truly a day I’ll never forget.”
Now at age 30, Cindy is in remission from breast cancer with No Evidence of Disease (NED). She is slowly getting back to her health and love of teaching. She even started traveling more. Although there’s been a lot of physical changes, she’s not letting that slow her down. Cindy is on a mission to spread awareness about her journey and inspire others. Cindy now sees the world completely differently and is full of gratitude, especially towards UBCF for being there in one of the most difficult times of her life.
Cindy shared, “The United Breast Cancer Foundation has been VERY helpful in assisting me with my financial stress. I greatly appreciate it, and I’ll never forget how they were able to step in and help me during my time of need.”
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