Amber’s Story

My name is Amber. I’m 41. I was born and raised in the Pittsburgh area and I’m a mom of two great kiddos. Roman is 8 and Brooklyn is 3. My husband, Brandon, has been my rock through this whole journey.

I felt a lump in my right breast in July 2025. It felt like a marble and I didn’t think much of it because I had just had a clear mammogram and ultrasound (due to dense breasts) three months prior. My second mammogram ever. I waited a couple weeks. Nothing changed with it, so I ended up calling my gynecologist and got an appointment right away.

They wanted to do another mammogram and ultrasound, which led to a biopsy. On Aug. 29, I was on my way to pick up Roman from school early to go to the Savannah Bananas game at PNC Park and I got the call. The nurse told me my biopsy came back as cancer, IDC stage 1, ER/PR+, HER2-. She gave me the names of some surgeons to choose from, as that would be the next step, to schedule with one. I looked them all up right away and called her back to schedule.

When my husband got home from work, I pulled him aside and gave him the news. I didn’t want the kids to know yet. I really wanted to try to enjoy the baseball game and keep a smile on my face. Which I did, but I don’t remember much of the game as my mind was obviously elsewhere.

I had thyroid cancer back in 2010. I didn’t need chemo for that or traditional radiation. It was a much easier cancer to cure. I was considered cured from it and this new cancer had no correlation to that one.

I ended up having a lumpectomy on Oct. 9. My lymph node was clear but my margins were not. I had DCIS and had to go back in for re-excision to have more tissue removed on Oct. 23. I got clear margins after that but my oncotype score came back high and four rounds of TC chemo was in my future.

Losing my hair and having to shave my head was the most traumatic thing. I just finished up my last chemo infusion last week. I get to rest and regain some of my blood cell levels for a few more weeks before I start radiation. Nineteen rounds of radiation and I’ll finally ring the bell. Then on to hormone blockers.

It’s been a hard journey, but I’ve closed the chapter on chemo. The weight of all this is a little lighter, not gone, but less. In life you have to find the power in what you can control because so much is out of our hands. I’ve chosen to be sickeningly positive. I chose faith over fear. I am lucky to have an amazing support system that I’m so grateful for.

Positivity and faith are the keys to getting through any struggle. Also, it’s important to remember that all struggles are temporary.

This weekend I’m going to enjoy taking my princess-obsessed daughter to Disney on Ice. The bad things that happen in life sure do make you appreciate the good things. Better and brighter days are always on the horizon.

-Amber