Creating a Tradition of Service

My name is Kathleen Brace, my friends call me Kat. When I was 14 I was diagnosed with stage one breast cancer. At the time, I thought it was cool. I didn't realize that it would be life changing. I just thought that all these doctors coming from all over was neat and it made me a rockstar.

I ended up having a lumpectomy. No chemo, no radiation. I just had to have mammograms, biopsies and ultrasounds every 6 months. In my 20's and 30's, I flirted with cancer again. Having mutated cells removed, to having a mass removed. In September 2014, I found a lump while I was waiting for my mom to be called to heaven. She was dying of ovarian cancer.

Five months later, three MRIs, two ultrasounds, a cell removal, and a one car accident later, I was told by phone that I had cancer. I was 45 years old.

I was told that the best course of action was to have a double mastectomy. I sat there in shock. Dr. Goldman said, "You had to know it was coming." My response being how I always thought it would be in my 70's, not my 40's. At the time he didn't think I would need chemo or radiation. Unfortunately, he was wrong. I ended up needing both.