Survivor Stories
Jennifer 's Story, diagnosed at 24
By: Jennifer Kaplan

My name is Jennifer Kaplan. I was diagnosed when I was 24. I found the lump myself and it was as big as an egg! They thought I had a cyst but I got an ultrasound then a mammogram and a needle biopsy. It was then that I found out I had breast cancer.

I went to Ann Arbor University of Michigan and had another needle biopsy and a chest x-ray. They called me and said it was in my lungs. I was diagnosed at stage 4. I was in shock but I had a lot of support from my family and the people at the hospital. I decided to do a clinical trial of chemo therapy called Taxotere. I had to do a breath test to see what kind of chemo therapy would be good for me. The first one I did got me really sick and I had to go to the hospital but my doctor said it was already shrinking my tumor.

I had chemo therapy eight times until it shrunk to as small as a penny! Then I got the lump removed and my ovaries removed because I was estrogen positive and gene positive. I got the gene from my Dad''s side of the family -- my Mom was negative. I also had radiation. I had a recurrence a year ago. I still have spots in my lungs but I am stable. The Femara hormonol therapy drug seems to work. I am single and not married so it was hard but I made it.