Katie

Katie was 31, and it was the Monday of midterm’s week in her second year of business school. She was over $100,000 into debt to pay for school when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Katie chose to have a lumpectomy two days before Thanksgiving, a date she had chosen so that she could take the least amount of time off from classes and interviews. After surgery but before chemo, Katie completed egg harvesting to preserve her ability to have children. Katie had a total of six chemo cycles and then 37 days of radiation, completing treatment just three days before graduation.

As a young adult, Katie had unique concerns, such as whether she could finish her MBA; whether she could date when bald; and whether she could still have her own babies. One of the hardest things for Katie was balancing her desire to continue leading her life and the need to treat her cancer. Katie now works for Chevron in Business Development and has since moved several times between California, London and Texas. She is married and has a young son.

Through having cancer, traveling to China, and finishing her MBA, Katie realized one of the most comforting things: that she is not alone. She is ever-thankful of the companionship she has found amongst other cancer survivors through programs like BAYS and First Descents.