Emily - Cancer Center of Western Wisconsin

“I haven’t seen my natural hair color since I was 13,” Emily said, smiling as she touched her chestnut spikes. “I’ve had purple, blue, red, blonde, black…I wonder what it will look like when it grows back.”

In March of 2024, the 30-year-old mom had been breastfeeding her baby Waverly when she found a mass. Emily knew the lump could have been caused by a blocked milk duct, but she had an uneasy feeling she just couldn’t shake. “I called my sister,” Emily said. “She thought I should give it a little time. But my head wouldn’t let it go. I knew in my heart something wasn’t right, so I made an appointment with my primary care provider at Osceola Medical Center.”

Following a mammogram, an ultrasound, and a biopsy, Emily was diagnosed with breast cancer within two weeks of finding the lump. “Prior to my diagnosis, my health was good,” Emily said. “I had a better immune system than my husband! So hearing the word ‘cancer’ was shocking.”

Putting one foot in front of the other

Emily’s health care provider at Lakeview Hospital in Stillwater ordered an MRI for additional imaging, and subsequently diagnosed her with early stage two triple negative breast cancer. “She downplayed it for me, which was good, and said, ‘we’re going to send you to the Cancer Center of Western Wisconsin (CCWW) at Osceola Medical Center for chemotherapy,’” Emily said. “Her confidence helped me focus on the road ahead. I knew I was just going to have to get through this.”

Emily started her first round of chemotherapy right away in Osceola, with treatment every week for 12 weeks. “I experienced a lot of fatigue during that round of chemo, and my hair started to fall out,” Emily said. “So I had a neighbor who is a hairstylist come and buzz my head.”

Emily’s second round of chemo involved treatment every three weeks, but the doses were stronger and much harder on her body. After her first treatment on the stronger medications, Emily developed neutropenic fever, a condition triggered by a rapid decrease in the white blood cells that help fight infections. “My neutrophils bottomed out,” Emily said. “I was in the hospital for five days.” Following her hospitalization, the medical team adjusted Emily’s chemotherapy dosage. But just six weeks in, her mass – which had previously been shrinking – could be felt again, so her medical team stopped chemotherapy and prepped Emily for surgery.

“I had a partial mastectomy,” Emily said. “Honestly, the surgery wasn’t that bad. I mostly felt very bruised.”

The little things

On the days when Emily is too sick to go to work, she snuggles with Waverly on the couch, watching movies. Waverly calls Emily’s scars “owies,” and tries to be gentle with her mom. “One positive through this has been the amount of time I’ve spent with my daughter,” Emily said, smiling. “And my husband has been so supportive. He goes to as many appointments with me as he can.”

Emily also credits her sister Gabby for stepping in when needed. “Gabby takes Waverly when I have appointments, or am sick,” Emily said. “She has been a true godsend.”

Cancer care, in your corner

Emily says when it came to her cancer care, she never thought of seeking treatment in the Twin Cities. “I love my medical team,” she said. “They’ve kept me informed throughout the entire process, and I’ve felt so supported.”

Emily says during chemo, the nurses would take the time to sit and talk with her and ask questions. “Having real relationships with my care team has been so helpful to me. Plus, they’re fun! We would laugh and joke…there was no space for sadness.”

That hasn’t always been Emily’s experience. “I have a history of overthinking and letting negative things get to me,” Emily said. After the birth of her daughter Waverly, Emily suffered from postpartum depression. “It was bad,” she said. “But I went in and got help. Medication changed everything for me.”

As Emily reflects on her cancer journey, she feels proud of her ability to stay positive. “It’s a huge change compared to who I used to be,” she said.

A bright, new chapter

Emily’s next phase of treatment will involve daily radiation, Monday through Friday, for 21 days at Minneapolis Radiation Oncology (MRO) in New Richmond. . “Everybody who has been involved with my care has made this so much easier to bear,” Emily said. “The fast pace of my diagnosis and treatment has been a whirlwind, but it has gone so well.”

“When I was younger, I felt like people made assumptions about me,” Emily said softly, revealing a tattoo that says: You know my name, not my story. As this young mom’s story continues to be written, one can’t ignore her aura of strength and resilience.

“My husband and I hope to have another baby,” Emily said with a calm resolve. “Throughout this whole process, we’ve repeated to everyone on my health care team that we just want to give ourselves the best possible opportunity to have baby number two. When this is all over, I am truly hopeful we can grow our family.”