“I found the lump at 38 but didn’t say anything until months later. Life was busy. I was a mom of three, married, working—just doing everything. I’d had a benign cyst before, so I assumed it was the same. But when the results came back, it was cancer. I was floored. At first, I just dropped the news on everyone. I was in survival mode. But looking back, I wish I’d handled it differently—especially with my kids. My husband was the steady one. He said, ‘It’s stage 2. You’re going to be okay.’ And that’s what we held on to.”

“The whole journey, I saw God show up. I had peace when I was terrified. Before surgery—when I should’ve been panicked—I felt calm. That peace could only have come from Him.

One of the biggest blessings was my friend Vanessa. I met her during treatment, and she was already stage 4. But she never let her faith waver. She was positive, joyful, peaceful. I always say she was like an angel on earth.

When I chose to go flat, I got a lot of pushback. Doctors said, ‘You're too young. You’ll want breasts.’ But I prayed about it, and I knew what I needed: peace of mind. I made a shirt that says ‘Save the woman, not the breast’—in honor of Vanessa. It was the right choice for me.”

“Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…” —Psalm 23 “A friend said to me: ‘It’s a walkthrough, Alicia. You’re walking with God. He’s holding your hand.’ That changed everything for me. Every time fear crept in, I came back to that truth: I’m not walking alone.”

“I grew up in a Christian home but didn’t really know God for myself. After my diagnosis, that changed. I got baptized a month later. I started reading my Bible, praying constantly, going to church, attending nightly Bible classes. I was hanging on.

My motto became faith over fear. Every day, I say affirmations. I journal gratitude instead of asking ‘Why me?’ I say prayers and Scriptures out loud. I listen to gospel music and walk outside, just to clear my mind and connect with God. That peace I feel now? I never had that before. It’s what carried me.”

“There will be hard days. You’ll cry. You’ll wonder, Why me? But try not to stay there. Write down what you’re thankful for. Fill your mind with truth and beauty. That’s where joy grows.

God showed up in every part of my treatment. My blood tests stayed good. My scans were clear. I finished chemo, surgery, and immunotherapy. I still have a long road of hormone treatment, but I know God is walking it with me. You are not alone. Even in the valley, there’s still good. Keep walking—you’ll get through.”