My name is Kristie, and I currently reside in Ashby, MN. I’ve dedicated my career to healthcare, working specifically in Quality Improvement within health systems and health technology organizations. Throughout my professional journey, I’ve always emphasized the importance of early health screenings. My personal experiences have reinforced this belief, having witnessed my grandmother lose her life to breast cancer at 61 and my husband’s mother lose her fight against the disease at just 51. These experiences, along with the stories of friends and family affected by cancer, made me diligent about getting my mammograms annually. 
In June 2021, during a routine physical, I discussed various screenings with my nurse practitioner and scheduled my annual mammogram for the following day. Having had numerous uneventful mammograms before, I expected nothing different this time. However, a few days later, I received a note suggesting additional views due to some calcifications. Upon returning for the additional views, the radiologist informed me of calcifications that warranted a biopsy, though he stated to me he was 99% sure it was nothing serious. Despite reassuring my children with statistics that most biopsies are benign, I was anxious.
After nearly a week of waiting, I received the devastating news: I was diagnosed with Invasive Lobular Cancer. In shock, I reached out to friends for support and began researching lobular cancer, leading me to the Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance (LBCA). The LBCA provided a wealth of knowledge, helping me ask the right questions and understand my diagnosis. I discovered the unique challenges of lobular cancer, including its distinct growth patterns and recurrence rates, and the troubling fact that digital mammograms are only 8-11% effective in detecting it in dense breast tissue.
The next ten days were a whirlwind of appointments and a sobering realization that my cancer was more extensive than initially thought. I relied heavily on the LBCA for information, as I learned that lobular cancer is often treated the same as ductal cancer despite needing different approaches.
Fast forward to 2023, after enduring 20 weeks of chemotherapy, 25 radiation treatments, two years on Verzenio, side effects from estrogen blockers, and five surgeries, including a hysterectomy and failed reconstruction, I remain committed to advocacy. I share my story to raise awareness, urging women with dense breasts to seek additional imaging and pushing for more research on better detection and treatments for lobular cancer. Continued research is crucial to improving outcomes for those of us battling this often-overlooked form of breast cancer.
Are you interested in telling others about your own lobular breast cancer story? Please email communications@lobularbreastcancer.org to request more information on how to submit your story.
