Southern California native Lisa Shoemaker has been coping with breast cancer for a long time, and one thing keeps her going: her family. She married her high school sweetheart and had two boys before she was first diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer at age 29. With this… Continue reading →

In April 2024, my family’s world changed when my mom, Jodi, was diagnosed with breast cancer. With no prior family history, we found ourselves navigating uncharted territory. Over the next eight months, she faced surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation with remarkable strength,… Continue reading →

משנכנס אדר מרבים בשמחה “When one enters into Adar, we increase our joy” (Taanis 29A) It is no secret that I love Purim and it seems befitting that my birthday coincides with the Jewish month of Adar (the 12th month on the Jewish calendar counting… Continue reading →

Like most survivors, life leading up to my cancer diagnosis was not smooth sailing. Just four months prior, my mother - herself a breast cancer survivor - was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. For years, I’d been feeling her slowly fade away, though I was largely unaware of what… Continue reading →

A few months ago, I was diagnosed with breast cancer, a moment that changed my life forever.More importantly, I want to share how, throughout this challenging experience, an organization called Sharsheret became a source of strength, support, and hope for me.  When I first… Continue reading →

During the height of the global pandemic, my surgical oncologist confirmed my biggest fear—the lump I had felt was, in fact, breast cancer. Despite learning of my BRCA1 status at the age of 33 and diligently undergoing imaging due to my high-risk status, I was diagnosed with… Continue reading →

When I was 18, I was a freshman at the University of Florida, excited to pledge Alpha Epsilon Phi, Alpha Tau chapter. During my time in the sorority, I learned about Sharsheret through our chapter’s philanthropic events. I became aware of the connection between Jewish women… Continue reading →

Tick, tick, tick. That's the sound I heard in my head for years, every time I looked at myself braless in the mirror or worked up enough courage to give myself a breast self-exam in the shower. It was the tick of what felt like a timebomb sitting on my chest, waiting to… Continue reading →

When we think of breast cancer, it's often seen as a concern only for women. However, breast cancer risk—and the importance of genetic testing—actually applies to all of us.  Everyone, regardless of sex or gender, is born with the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes that play an… Continue reading →

As busy professionals, parents, caregivers, and friends, we’re often focused on living one choice at a time. We prioritize our careers, relationships, and self-care, but when it comes to our health – and especially preventive health – many of us struggle to find the same… Continue reading →

Great strides have been made in breast cancer treatment and surgery. However, even with this progress, many women are unaware of a potential side effect: chest numbness. Many also don’t know that it’s possible to reverse or mitigate numbness through a surgical nerve repair… Continue reading →

My mother’s ovarian cancer diagnosis amplified my family’s strong breast cancer and ovarian cancer history. When my mother and I both tested positive for a BRCA1 mutation, it came as no surprise.  With my mother in Israel, I spent months at a time commuting back and… Continue reading →

On November 30th, 2020 my world was turned upside down.  On that evening I received a phone call from my primary care physician and heard those four dreaded words, "Yes Angela, it's cancer." My diagnosis was invasive ductal carcinoma with lymph node involvement. Thankfully, I… Continue reading →

I had a mammogram in the fall of 2021 that indicated I needed a breast ultrasound. Everything looked okay, but six months later I felt a lump in my left breast which led to a biopsy. Unfortunately, I was diagnosed with Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC), which means that the… Continue reading →

If you’ve been diagnosed with ovarian or breast cancer, you may feel overwhelmed by what it means for you. It could feel like you’ve lost control—but learning how to be your own advocate can help you face the challenges. What does it really mean to advocate for yourself… Continue reading →

Understanding your family cancer history – and how it impacts your own risk for cancer – is crucial for anyone looking to be proactive in managing their health. This is especially important for people of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry who have an increased risk for carrying… Continue reading →

I have a complicated relationship with Pinktober. Before cancer touched my life, I saw pink ribbons as a helpful reminder to get a mammogram. After I completed treatment for early-stage breast cancer and was deemed cancer-free, those ribbons symbolized victory and… Continue reading →