My name's Harvinder and I'm 24 years old. I feel proud to say that because I'm very thankful I've made it through another year. From now on, I won't take life for granted (though I'm by no means implying that we can't have days when we wish the ground would just swallow us up…I still have many of those days).

On May 21st, 2007 I was diagnosed with stage 3, invasive infiltrating ductal carcinoma of the left breast. That was a day after my 23rd birthday…and it's truly the day my world came crashing down. I felt guilty because I'd put off having the tests for so long, I felt angry because I felt that I had enough challenges as it was, and I felt sad for my family who would have to worry about me and whom I would have to become dependent upon. And to be quite honest, I also felt as though I was treated unfairly because I consider myself to be a good citizen…what about those bad guys? Looking back… I'd not even wish this on my own worst enemy.

At the end of May I had a partial mastectomy, and ironically on Friday July 13th I had my first round of chemotherapy. 3 cycles of FEC followed by 3 cycles of Taxotere. The FEC made me puke all day long for several days at a time; I didn't even know I could vomit that much. And then, when I really could vomit no more it was pure retching and gagging that I couldn't stop. I developed severe mouth sores, didn't like any kind of food, and was very sensitive to smells and sounds. My immune system was shot.

Then Taxotere reared its ugly head and gave me the worst bone pain of my life throughout every portion of my body. I was hospitalized twice during chemotherapy because I was so weak, had too much pain, and developed intense side effects.

By November I finished chemotherapy (and my hair started to grow…which was relieving because I sensed I'd be bald forever) and December I started radiation. 6 weeks of intense radiation on a daily basis which left me sore and burned, not to mention a tad humiliated at the fact that by now I had shown my breasts (or what was left) to what seemed like the entire world. Radiation ended in February and I was glad it was all over. I mean, happy that it was done with, but realizing that the word 'cancer' was now a part of me and that I was emotionally and physically scarred forever.

I thought everything was wonderful, until I had a fall down the stairs due to medication side effects in March and landed up in the hospital again for a week. That's when I think it really hit me, "Oh my gosh, I had cancer!" My doctors at the hospital told me, "Harvinder, someone like you steps into this hospital once every 10years." Well, that was not comforting to hear.

I kept reliving everything that had happened, and you know something, sometimes I still do. As I said before, you never forget, you just learn to deal. Everyone, especially us, are entitled to days when we don't want to talk to anyone, and it's okay.

This September of 2008, I started school again at the University of Toronto. I'm not 100% (I'm on Tamoxifen for 5 years as my receptors were positive) but in many ways I have changed for the better. Not to say that I wish this had happened to me, but it has made me appreciate others as well as myself. I was a health fanatic for a while after cancer struck, but now I'm less conscious. I eat foods in moderation and am just living life the best way I know how. There is no one way to do things and everyone takes something different away from the experience. When I look back at it all, I can honestly say that it's one of the most devastating thing that I have gone through, but if it helps at all, remember the 23year old with stage 3 breast cancer who is still laughing, going out, making new friends, building upon old friendships, working, going to school, and above all, living life.