Allison is our model for our 2008 Secret White.

November 30, 2005...Allison was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Having already found a lump in her breast, going through a biopsy, and discovering that it was benign, Allison was not worried when she later discovered another lump. She had been told that it’s common for young women to have lumps in their breasts. At age 26, she was in excellent health and had no history of breast cancer in her family. Just to be safe, Allison scheduled a biopsy. She was more concerned about the scar the procedure would leave rather than the life altering consequences it might bring.

When her doctor wanted to see her early one morning after the biopsy, Allison was confused by the sense of urgency. It was at this appointment that she received the news that she had breast cancer. “I stared at her blankly. I was in a daze,” notes Allison. “ I felt the hot tears instantly spill down my cheeks, but I could not make sense of her words. Cancer was a foreign concept to me at that point. I knew it only as something bad that happened to “other people”. I had no experience with it in my own life. I had no framework to allow me to understand my diagnosis. I was only 26 years old. I went through the motions of listening to the medical talk, but I all I understood was the fear pulsating through my body.”

What was to follow was a new life for Allison. It was given to her on a piece of paper. Her days were filled with medical appointments. Many of the doctors she was to see had titles that were unknown to her. The battery of tests and treatments to be done coupled with the number of specialists she was to see was nearly overwhelming.

A week after her diagnosis, she began aggressive doses of dense chemotherapy. By Christmas day of 2005, she had lost all of her hair.

As dark as this time was, as physically debilitating as it was, the love of her family and her friends carried her through. “This was a time in my life when most of my friends were planning their futures and preparing for marriage and children. Instead, I was coming to terms with loss: my hair, my breasts, and the girl I had been.” Months later, upon completion of her chemotherapy treatments, Allison had complete bi-lateral mastectomy surgery. It was after the arduous, painful recovery from this procedure that Allison saw a glimmer of light.

“Somehow during those months following my diagnosis, in the midst of all the fear and uncertainty that surrounded me, I saw a light in the distance. The light was dim and flickering, but it was there. I knew that if I could focus on this light – this hope – that eventually, one day the light would grow brighter and I would grow stronger. I began to focus on turning that light into a flame – I vowed to make it strong enough and bright enough to one day share with others.”

Her medical ordeal left Allison with an altered vision of the direction her life should take. The more she shared her breast cancer story, the more she became aware of the need for better communication. “I was especially affected by the degree to which the communication process influenced my healing. During treatments, I began to recognize the profound effect of my doctors’ words and expressions on my state of mind, and hence, my ability to heal. I also began to notice a common disconnect between the mind and the body.”

Allison decided that she wanted to learn more about the impact of communication on the healing process. She enrolled in a Master’s degree program in Communications. This breast cancer survivor chose to focus her studies on health, and to shift her career into a position where she can educate and assist others through the healing process.

“I am learning to embrace the new woman that cancer has led me to become. Now, I see my scars and I laugh thinking about how concerned I was to have such a small one when this all began. The scars run once along each of my breasts, once under my left arm… and once across my 26th year. But I don’t view these scars with shame or regret or even sadness, because I am so proud of what they symbolize to me. They are my strength, my courage, and my power. They are the love, the support, and the bravery of my family and friends and of the many, many other lives that have been impacted by cancer. They symbolize the sacrifices we’ve made, the journeys that we’ve traveled, and the future of change that awaits.”

About Allison

Allison resides in San Diego, California where she is involved in pursuing her Master’s degree. She enjoys relaxing time with her family and friends, visits to the beach, yoga, reading, and cooking. She is passionate about sharing her breast cancer experiences with others who are battling the disease.