At 28 years old, I was living the ordinary life of anyone my age. I was healthy, exercised regularly, went out with friends and I was just totally independent. It was exactly how I wanted my life to be in my twenties. I worked as an occupational therapist in home healthcare, and after several years of working my way up, I had just got promoted to a new role in my company.
Everything was looking up and I really felt like I was coming into my own.
But in July 2024, I was laying down in bed when I felt something under my skin in my upper breast. It was really small, like the size of a pea, and it wasn’t painful, so I didn’t think much of it. But before I wrote it off completely, I Googled what it could mean. The results highlighted how rare it is to have breast cancer at 28 years old, so I convinced myself that it was probably nothing.
After doing this little bit of research, I was confident that it was benign and I didn’t have anything to be worried about.
That was, until the pea-sized lump started to grow over the course of the following months. I could no longer ignore it, and by October of that year I went to my family doctor to have the lump assessed. I still did not think much of it, but I knew I should get it checked—especially as I have a strong family history of breast cancer. I may be low risk, but it couldn’t hurt to get a professional opinion.
Evidently my family doctor thought it was far more serious, and he sent me for a breast ultrasound straight away.
Two days later, everything changed.
My doctor called and he started the conversation by saying that he does not usually like to have these conversations over the phone, so I knew it was not good news.
‘I Felt Ready for the Fight That Was Ahead’
The ultrasound showed a mass that was highly suspicious and based on the results, I had a 95 percent chance of having cancer. But they needed to do more tests to know for sure, so I was referred to a surgical oncologist for another ultrasound, mammogram and a biopsy.
When I saw the surgeon a week later, she was dismissive and said she didn’t think it was cancer. I did not hear back for over a week, so when I called the clinic to chase up my mammogram appointment, nothing had been scheduled. I quickly realized that I was not being taken seriously, so I took matters into my own hands and researched other local cancer centers. I got referred to another hospital and was seen within a week for the ultrasound, mammogram and biopsy. Three days later, the diagnosis was confirmed.
It was no benign lump after all. I was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in November 2024, and a PET scan showed that it was locally advanced and had spread to nearby lymph nodes. To say I was devastated is an understatement. But the love and support from my family and friends helped massively, and I felt ready for the fight that was ahead of me.
There was no time to be scared because I had to start treatment imminently. There was no way of knowing what impact cancer treatment would have on my body, so I froze my eggs straight away. I was not going to let cancer take away the future I had always envisioned.
By the time I started chemotherapy at the end of 2024, the lump was about 3.5 centimeters big. Still, it was not painful and was just like a small marble. I did not have any other symptoms, and yet, my body was going through so much.
‘Cancer Completely Altered my Life’
At 28 years old, I should have been living vicariously and embracing life’s joyful moments. Instead, my days were spent in hospital receiving chemotherapy. I lost my hair, eyebrows and eyelashes during treatment and hormone therapy put me into early menopause, causing hot flashes, chills, and dreadful night sweats.
Even after completing chemotherapy in April 2025, the journey was far from over. I then underwent a double mastectomy with reconstructive surgery in May, and by July I started targeted chemotherapy infusions. That was coupled with radiation therapy which began in August. Suffice it to say, going through all of that so quickly has been extremely grueling on my body.
Having cancer at 28 completely altered my life and changed me in ways I’m still discovering. It has shifted my perspective on everything and helped me understand what’s most important. Even though I have been through this so young, I still have so much to be grateful for. I’m surrounded by love from my family and friends, I have a safe home to heal in, and my body has fought incredibly hard to carry me through. I’m still here after everything and I don’t take that for granted.
I do grieve my old life sometimes, but I have learned that gratitude and grief can exist at the same time. I can be sad for what cancer changed while still feeling deeply grateful for the life I have.
To anyone else out there, check your breasts, regardless of your age. You know your body best and you should advocate for yourself. One of the biggest lessons cancer taught me is that you can have a hundred problems until you have a health problem. Then suddenly, you only have one.
Sabrina Mercedes Leonard, 29, resides in Ontario, Canada, and has been documenting her cancer journey online (@sab.mercedes on Instagram and TikTok). Following the diagnosis, she was seeking connection and started posting about her experience on social media. She has since amassed a supportive community of people, many of whom are also facing their own cancer battles.
Read the full article here
