When Shelly, 47, first discovered a lump in her breast, she couldn’t have known how much her life was about to change—or how important it would be to have someone walking beside her every step of the way.
Married to her husband Bill and living a full, happy life together, Shelly and Bill suddenly began a yearlong journey through breast cancer treatment.
In May 2024, while taking a bath, Shelly performed a breast self-exam and felt several lumps in her right breast. Fortunately, Shelly already had an upcoming doctor’s appointment scheduled with her primary care physician. Upon examination, Shelly’s doctor immediately took action, ordering tests that included a mammogram and a breast ultrasound.
After a breast biopsy, the pathology report confirmed Shelly’s diagnosis: Stage 2B invasive ductal carcinoma with lymph node involvement.
The day Shelly received the news, she was at home alone while her husband was at work. The fear and shock were overwhelming. “I was so scared when I heard the news,” Shelly recalls. “When my husband arrived, I told him about the bad news. We cried and prayed together.”
Despite the shock and sadness of learning she had breast cancer, Shelly and Bill began thinking and planning for the future.
“I knew that I needed to face the reality that I have cancer,” Shelly said. “I had to have faith that I would get better. My husband and I never stopped praying for God to lead us to all the medical people who would help us get through this.”
Soon after meeting with her surgical oncologist and undergoing genetic testing, which revealed no genetic link to her cancer, Shelly spoke with a friend who had experienced breast cancer herself. Shelly’s friend encouraged her to contact her local NBCF partner facility in Arcata, California, to connect with a patient navigator.
Patient navigators support patients throughout their treatment, from answering questions and providing information to connecting patients with financial aid resources to help them afford treatment, and much more in between. Patient navigators become so vital that many patients refer to them as “lifelines.”
Many NBCF partner facilities offer free patient navigation services to breast cancer patients. Click below to find a patient navigator in your area.
This was the case for Shelly, who soon visited the Breast and GYN Health Project and met Allie, her NBCF-funded patient navigator. Shelly shared, “The first time I went to the center, I felt that I was surrounded by wonderful people and that I was in good hands.”
Allie took the time to explain what patient navigation meant and how the resource center could support Shelly—not just medically, but emotionally and practically. Allie provided Shelly with a comprehensive medical binder that helps her organize appointments, medications, records, and notes. She also helped prepare Shelly for chemotherapy, telling her what to expect and ensuring she had the tools she needed to feel ready.
Once treatment began, Allie’s support went far beyond paperwork as she helped Shelly access wigs and head coverings, introduced her to the center’s lending library, which includes cookbooks tailored for cancer treatment nutrition, and checked in with her regularly.
Shelly is very grateful for all the support she received, saying, “Allie is not only my patient navigator, she has also become my good friend. She has gone above and beyond with this journey. We’re talking almost every week, checking me out, and asking me what I need. I really feel that she cares for me.”
For treatment, Shelly has had 16 rounds of chemotherapy, a lumpectomy, and radiation. A bright spot during her treatment was when her parents were able to travel from the Philippines to be with her: “Everything was perfect timing. I know that my parents would be an additional support with this journey, together with my church family.”
In addition to her parents and church family, Allie stepped in again to provide Shelly with additional support, connecting her with funds to help pay for gas, lodging, and food when she had her appointments. This support has enabled Shelly to focus on her health and healing by reducing the stress and financial burden of her diagnosis.
Today, Shelly is cancer-free with clear margins, and she continues to connect with Allie, who is helping her navigate hormonal therapy. She has also found connection through a support group Allie introduced her to. Inspired by Allie, Shelly shares that she wants to “be an instrument to others who have had the same journey that I have. I want to encourage them that life is still beautiful and there are so many opportunities waiting for us to grab and enjoy!”
Shelly is currently doing well. While she still experiences some side effects, she listens to her body, rests when needed, and stays active when she can. She remains deeply grateful for her family, her faith, her medical team, and the unwavering support she received from her patient navigator: “In this journey, I feel like I am not alone. Miracles happen every day. God uses all these people in my life as instruments to know that life is beautiful despite the circumstances.”
About her navigator, Allie, Shelly has this to say: “At this point in time, Allie is not only my patient navigator, she’s also my confidant and friend that I can vent to, be comfortable with, and be open about what I feel and what I’m going through. I am so blessed that I have a great support system because I never feel alone.”
National Breast Cancer Foundation is here for you as you navigate a breast cancer diagnosis. Visit our website to learn about NBCF breast cancer support groups, obtain free educational resources, or find a patient navigator in your area.
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