After hearing the words “you have breast cancer,” you wonder if you will ever be happy again. For women who are young, I think it is even worse. Many are at a point in their lives where they should feel jubilant, free and excited for a long future — and those four words have the power to squash those sentiments in an instant.

I don’t think any young woman who has been told she has breast cancer will ever forget hearing those words. Some of us, like me, heard them over the phone and were not prepared for it at all. Others heard them in the doctor’s office surrounded by family. It doesn’t really matter — the impact is the same.

Chris Wragge, master of ceremonies, with the In Living Pink benefit committee and me (2nd from right).

However, last Friday night at YSC’s annual In Living Pink gala, as I looked across a room full of young survivors dressed to the nines, I temporarily forgot those four words.

There is something about dressing up, putting on your best clothes and jewelry you don’t normally wear and going out. Every woman knows how this feels, cancer or no cancer … it is the feeling of looking beautiful and knowing it. It is the feeling of energy that comes with your hair looking awesome and makeup looking perfect. It is the smiles you get from strangers who see you and think of the last time they were also dressed up and went out. To me, this is a celebration of life. It feels good.

I can say from experience as a constituent and as the CEO of the organization, YSC excels in everything it does to support and educate young women with breast cancer and fulfill its mission.

From left to right: Tabetha Kay from Liv/giant; Me; YSC Board President Lisa J. Frank; Steve Klein; Elysa Walk from Liv/giant.

In addition, I believe quality of life is an important part of our work. Quality of life means different things to different people — but I think it also is illustrated when a young women who has lost her hair or gained 40 pounds from treatment gets dressed up and feels amazing being surrounded by other people that get her … they don’t judge but, rather, empower. With these people you don’t have to answer questions about why you look different … they already know, and they don’t care!

So last Friday night, as the dance floor rocked with young survivors, doctors, friends and family late into the night, I felt proud of YSC. I felt proud of how YSC got to that point, and I felt proud to know that every young survivor there felt at home and happy at that moment — forgetting those four words … then I joined them on the dance floor!

We extend a special thank you to honorees Celgene, Liv/giant and YSC’s founding members; Chris Wragge, our master of ceremonies; Lisa Frank, YSC board president; Benefit Chairs Stephanie Pendray, Dayna Varano and Jean Won; the In Living Pink Benefit Committee; volunteers; donors and everyone who attended and made the event so incredible!

Photos from this event are available for viewing on our In Living Pink Pinterest board. (http://pinterest.com/youngsurvival/nyc-ilp/)

It is nuts, but breast cancer in young women is becoming a sexy trendy topic. And today, Angelina Jolie, repeatedly named the sexiest woman alive, announced she had a bilateral mastectomy.

As I listened to the news this morning, I thought about my own bilateral mastectomy and its impact on how I thought about myself. Now, Angelina Jolie announced she’s had one and saying she won’t let such a life altering surgery steal her sexuality – why had I? Yes – of course it’s different, this was a preventive measure – but it’s certainly thought-provoking.

I was saddened to hear that Angelina had lost her mother to ovarian cancer and I know personally how much consideration and thought goes into a decision of a bilateral mastectomy. What I think is amazing is that she didn’t have to tell anyone … she could have kept it a secret. But she didn’t – she chose to tell the world, despite the fact that her brand has been built on other people’s perception of her sexiness.

I applaud Angelina’s efforts to raise awareness of the BRCA gene mutation by speaking out. Although I am slightly concerned that the messaging could create panic that all young women should be tested – which is not true. According to what we know today, BRCA (genetic) cancers only account for 5-10 percent of all breast cancer cases, a far cry from everyone.

However, everyone should ask questions about their family history and document all cancers and at what age they occurred on BOTH sides – maternal and paternal (Did you know it’s possible to inherit the BRCA gene mutation from your father?). If you are concerned, our partner organization Bright Pink, has created a tool to help you asses your risk, generating a report to take to your doctor. (http://www.brightpink.org/knowledge-is-power/assess-your-risk/). After using this tool, you and your doctor should talk about the next best steps, which should include speaking with a genetic counselor. This is a personal decision that you and your doctor will make together on a case-by-case basis.

Angelina was not diagnosed with breast cancer (thank God!) – but what about all of the young women, like myself, who have already been diagnosed? What does genetic testing mean for us? Again, your doctor should advise you if genetic testing is a good idea, so please make sure to have the discussion. I was diagnosed with breast cancer seven months after my mother was diagnosed, decided to have the test after genetic counseling, and found out I was NOT BRCA positive. This is information that my doctors and I use to make informed decisions about my treatment going forward – knowledge can be empowering.

Some of the concerns that young breast cancer survivors face every day can include body image issues, sexuality after cancer and the long-term effects of surgery. And it is hard. It is hard to feel sexy when you have no estrogen egging you on. It is hard to feel sexy when all you can see is the scars looking at you in the mirror. It’s hard to feel sexy when your body is no longer the body you once had. These are real issues and it is important to raise awareness of these survivorship issues and their impact on the quarter of a million young women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer in the US before their 41st birthday.

So as we watch the media unfold around Angelina’s choice to share this private decision, I hope that all of us use this news as an opportunity to encourage people to learn and ask questions about their own family cancer history and raise awareness that young women can and do get breast cancer. For those of you who have learned you have a BRCA gene mutation or would like to discuss concerns that you might be at risk with other young women in the same boat, YSC’s online community has a discussion group just for you: http://community.youngsurvival.org/index.php?/forum/9-risk-and-genetics/

When God handed out mothers — I won the lottery! Now, I will be honest, there were times when I was growing up that I didn’t always feel that way, but those times are long gone. My mother is the coolest, sweetest, strongest, most amazing woman I know, and I thank my lucky stars every day that we have each other.

We have always been close, but 2010 changed everything for us.

Me and my mom at the 2012 Congressional Women’s Softball Game.

My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer in January 2010, and I was diagnosed with breast cancer seven months later in August 2010. Like mother, like daughter I guess. We both felt like we were on a roller coaster without a seat belt during that year — but we hung onto each other for dear life — and we made it.

When people ask me if having breast cancer as a young woman is really that different than for older women, I know firsthand how different it is. While my mother’s breast cancer is serious, and I will never downplay how hard it is on her — she already had her career, is retired and already had her family — things that I had not done yet.

I also think that with age, all people slowly lose the “illusion of immortality,” as people they know and love age and pass on. However, when you are diagnosed with cancer at a young age, that “illusion” is ripped from your mind too soon — and that is very painful.

During our journey together, my mother showed me one of the most important life lessons I could ever learn: At the most challenging moment in her own life, she focused on me. Complete selflessness. I am trying to pay that incredible gift of selflessness forward in my work as YSC’s CEO and focus on young woman that need support. I will not stop until I feel confident that every young women in the United States with breast cancer knows that YSC is here and has programs and resources just for her.

This weekend when my mother is 3,000 miles away from me, I know that we will be connected in our hearts, our souls and our minds. Happy Mother’s Day to the bravest woman I know.