I have just started my journey in my fight to beat breast cancer, I was diagnosed about a month ago and in exactly one month I will be having surgery.

My future is uncertain, will I have chemo? Will I lose my hair? Will I be able to go back to work? But the biggest question is, WILL THE CANCER RETURN?

No one can give me the answers, but what I do know, is I am going to fight. I refuse to let this beat me. I am going to live my life to the fullest. I am going to make every moment count. I am not going to sweat the small stuff anymore.

Life is so much more than being stuck in traffic or waiting in a long line up. It is about seeing smiles on your loved one's faces. It is getting hugs and giving them back...seeing a rainbow after the rain has stopped...a cuddle and a headbutt from my cat.

Life is about love...giving and getting it back. Life is about not giving up on your hopes and dreams. I am going to live my life the way I want to, the way I intended on, not the way cancer thinks I should live.

In September, 2012, I had my regular mammagram. My family doctor, Dr. Wadhwa, advised me that it looked like I might have breast cancer. But, he wanted me to go to the Cancer Center to really verify it, as it was quite small. "This doesn't happen to me. They'll find it's in error when I have the other tests." I wound up having 5 biopsies - only 1 was cancer, the others fibrous. My surgery was set up for December and my friend (since 7th grade), Esther, took me to the hospital for the procedure, and picked me up afterwards. In January, the radiologist, Dr. Hovenstine (a funny man), advised that they got it so early that I didn't need radiation or chemo. Then, the Oncologist, Dr. Chan (another funny man), said the same thing and I wouldn't need meds.

I feel like such a phony, as I know of and have heard of so many others who have gone through so much more, for longer times and more pain and I had a walk in the park! But, too, I had so many prayers going out for me and never let depression in the door - just kept joking with everyone and God has been wonderfully good to me for putting everything in his hands. Best of all, I had my sister giving me such wonderful support (she's been cancer-free 9 years, as of 15 October. She used to call me and DEMAND that I make sure to have mammagrams every year.). Our generation is the first generation to have cancer.

So, I tell others, put your life in God's hands, don't let depression in, pray and please, don't hesitate to ask for prayers from others. With God's love and in your life, anything is possible.

P.S, I'm doing Relay for Life in my city this year. Getting involved is important.

Recurrance of breast cancer in year 2011 has thought me to be kind to others and grap all the opportunity that come in my life and create new opportunity. A year after, I registered myself to enroll in MBA degree program. I want to acquire more knowledge to improve my career as well as my personal life. I am expected to complete my MBA end of 2014 and I am planning continue to the Doctorate degree. I believed that life shouldn't be wasted just because you have cancer.

I want to enjoy every minute of my life with love and happiness. My husband and my child are my priority. The reason that God gave me cancer is to appreciate the life.

I love and appreciate myself more than before. Being positive in life and live to the fullest ...

My story title is the title that is on one of today's posts by The Breast Cancer Site. I get these wonderful and uplifting pieces on my personal Facebook page. I also have a Facebook page devoted to The Sparkle Caps Project. We can also now be found on the web at SparkleCapsProject.com.

Cancer didn't take anything from me! It gave me purpose! I am a three-year breast cancer survivor. While I was in treatment for breast cancer in the summer / fall of 2010, I was looking for a way to help other women traveling the difficult, sometimes seemingly impossible, cancer road. I prayed about it, and the answer to my prayer was "Listen." Two weeks later, while traveling the hallway at my treating facility, two women passed by me and one commented on my beautiful yellow sparkle cap, "Now I can wear cute hats like hers." Obviously, she was getting ready to start chemotherapy. Right then, I wished I had a cap to give her. The light turned on, and my prayer was answered. The seed for this project was planted.

Within weeks, I had started The Sparkle Caps Project. We give out sponsored gift bags to women in treatment for any type of cancer. We started out with a cap and a letter in 2010. In 2011, our monthly average was 8 gift bags; in 2012, it was 15. We are now giving out over 30 power-packed gift bags a month, as we uplift, empower, support, love and pray for our sisters.

No one wants breast cancer. No one wants cancer of any type. But I had breast cancer, so what was I going to do with it. I beat it to the ground and kicked it to the moon. I took lemons and decided not to make lemonade. I decided to make champagne. To be a winner is to do more than survive. It is to pay it forward to those coming behind us, extending the hand of compassion!

Am 26 years old I fund a lil bump on my breast couple months ago and after a mammogram an a mri the doc tell me the I have breast cancer am on kimioterapia pill sense then yesterday 4/5/2013 I had my surgery I was nervous but I know the god will be my best doctor I have my husband and cousins for support and am happy am a winner I will like to tell all this ladies to don't be afraid cancer is seriously but we have to fight for our life first then everything.

In 2005 I had shunts placed in my brain to relieve the pressure causing severe headachesI developed deadly pseudomonis of the brain. Menigitis. I was in the hospital 31 days with high fever and nearly died . after a three month recovery. I decided to go to work as a RN at that hospital . The next fall I had my mamagram and It showed some suspecious spots. I asked the radiologist what he thought it was and he said ductal carcinoma. After biopsies and they did return this diagnosis. I saw an oncologist, surgeon and plastic surgeon. all in one day. A month later I was in surgery having a double mastectomy and tissue expanders inserted for the reconstruction. You see I did not want to worry about it coming back to my left breast. It was in the right. It is a good thing I had the left one removed because I had Pagets disease in the nipple of the left one. This is a precancerous lesion . I had chemo Taxol and Herceptin. They did heart scans and the herceptin had caused my ejection fraction. pumping action to decrease 20 points. from 80 to 60. I had to get off the Herceptin. Chemo had not been easy. I got the chemo fog and had to give up my career as a nurse. This was deviastating. to have been a Rn for 35 years and then nothing. It literally broke my heart. I became depressed and cried all the time . My doctor sent me to a neuropshchologist. and he verified I was disabled through testing. I had lost my math skills. and could not even remember my computer codes. I found a support group called YOU Me and the Big C and it changed my life. I volunteer at the hospital and we are too busy living to worry about dying. It has been 7 years and I started making jewelry. no one can take this away from me. life goes on and i have met so many wonderful people. thanks .Christy Wall Smith RN

I was a young 35 years old with a 10 year old son and 15 year old daughter when my breast cancer was discovered. The lump discovered in my left breast proved to have a partner in my right breast. With the doctor given 20% chance of survival a double mastectomy was in order with chemo to follow.

Today, with God's mercy, I have been cancer free for 20 years!

I was diagnosed with lobular carcinoma in Aug. 2010. What a wake up call! I under went a bi-lateral mastectomy, follwed by 16 chemo treatments, 28 radiation treaments and full reconstruction. My husband was my biggest supporter along with family and very dear friends. Today, I'm healthy and working on my 3rd. year as a SURVIVOR! I give all the glory to God who walked my journey with me and brought me to a better place. I urge every woman to have an annual screening by mammography and never take life for granted. We are only mortals and no one including men are immune from this disease! God bless those who are under going treatments those, who are suvivors and God bless the souls of those who never lived to tell their stories.

I go by Poochie. I turned 35 yrs old on November 19, 2012. I had a great aunt to pass from breast cancer, and shortly after her sister my other great aunt was diagnosed. I was just curious and gave myself a breast exam with the help of the internet. I felt something, but because I am a heavy woman I ignored it but it was still in my mind almost every night upon going to sleep. This lump then started to hurt when I would lay on my left breast. I was at work one day and the spirit just kept telling me to go get checked. I went into my bosses office crying and told her I needed a mammogram, she asked why I told her. So with her hlep we found a location that would take my insurance. At this point I hadn't told anyone what I was thinking or the fear that was within me. I went on December 7, 2012 to have the test done and on that same day I mentioned to my mother I had one done just for routine proposes. The breast center called me back two days later and told me I needed to come in to do an ultra sound and another mammogram, because the first test was not clear. I went in and the doctor came in and.. told me she definitely wanted for me to have some tissue removed from my left breast and tested. My doctor wanted to see me a day later. On December 19,2012 my mother along with myself were told that I had Cancer. I called my brother, sister, cousin, and aunt I could not stop crying. That same day I got an appointment to visit M.D.Anderson Cancer Center. I have had two surgeries one on January 29 & February 19. I was told I am Cancer free on March 1,2013. No Chemotherapy. God is good. My everyday prayer is that I have kicked Cancers butt for good. Special shout out to my mother, grandmother, sister, brother, brother in law, and the teenagers.

My Breast Cancer diagnosis was in Oct 2010, 4 days after my daughters wedding. I was 40 yrs olds. It was stage 11 invasive ductal carcinoma. It was also her-2 positive which meant extra treatment. I had a bilateral mastectomy in Dec 2010 and was also diagnosed with Lupus.Had issues healing,some infections. I did start the reconstruction process with my surgery by inserting expanders.. I did injections of saline to stretch the skin and at the same time I was doing chemo. I did adrimycin,Cytoxan and Taxol. I also had to do 52 weeks of 30 minute infusions of Herceptin. I broke out with a rash and had to take a bag of steroids and Benadryl before each treatment. I also took oral predisone. I look like a walking blimp for awhile! I lost all of hair after my first chemo treatment. I started treatment in Feb 2011 and ended treatment in May 2012.. I was seeing my primary dr,rhematologist,oncologist and plastic surgeon. I developed lymphedema and did several wks of therapy and was fitted with a compression glove,sleeve, and bra. I was week, tired ,frustrated, depressed, and even angry at timesI tried to keep my faith strong. After finishing treatment I developed headaches,vision issues,partial menopause syptoms and severe back . I also have an underactive thyroid which did not help things and IBS. If my digestive system was not messed up then I had a headache & backache! I have since seen a neurologist, a dermatologist, and an ear nose throat specialist. . I landed in the ER several times for low potassium or dehydration. It is now March 2013 and I still wear a sleeve. I suffer from fatigue and unexplainable aches & pains and digestive issues.. I take anti depression meds, anxiety meds and sleep meds.. I still have my port because I only have one arm to stick and everybody wants blood! . Winter months are the worst for . I see the oncologist every 3 mths

I thought the aniexty would be better after teatment,truth is it got worse!