Mary Beth’s Story

Hello, I live in Colorado, with my husband and our six sweet kitties. We enjoy gardening, nature walks, puzzles, movies and building Legos together. I’m a self-employed performer and teacher of voice, piano, acting and voiceover, and I pour my heart into my work and my students.

In December of last year, I felt a strange pulling sensation near my armpit. When it was still happening a month later, in January, I decided to trust my intuition—especially after a good friend urged me to get it checked. I met with my doctor and underwent a breast MRI. What followed was three months of testing, scans and biopsies. In April, I was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma breast cancer.

On June 3, I had a double mastectomy. During surgery, the team discovered that the invasive carcinoma had doubled in size, and there were additional DCIS lesions present. Though the surgery went well, I had minor complications due to a condition I have called mast cell activation syndrome. It made coming out of anesthesia difficult and caused a few allergic reactions to medications. I had to spend the night in the hospital. Thankfully, things improved, and I’m now moving into the end of recovery from this first surgery.

Now, we’re preparing for the long road ahead. From July 21 through January 2026, I will undergo chemotherapy, followed by a second reconstructive surgery and hormone treatment.

My cancer is invasive ductal carcinoma, ER+ PR+ HER2-.

-Mary Beth