Breast Cancer Under 40: Why Every Woman Needs to Know Her BRCA Status

At 26 years old, I was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Like many young women, breast cancer wasn’t even on my radar. I was healthy, active, a former Division I athlete, a coach, and a physical education and health teacher. I exercised, ate well, and never imagined I would be making life-altering medical decisions before turning 30. What I didn't know was how profoundly genetics could change my story.

Following my diagnosis, genetic testing for cancer revealed that I carry a BRCA2 gene mutation. That discovery shifted everything. It didn't just explain why I developed breast cancer at such a young age; it guided every major medical decision that followed. Armed with this knowledge, I underwent chemotherapy, a bilateral mastectomy, egg retrieval to preserve my future fertility, and a bilateral salpingectomy to drastically reduce my risk of ovarian cancer. Each step was shaped by the clarity that genetic insights provided.

Looking back, I realize how little I knew about my own family history. Like so many families, we just didn't talk about it. It wasn't until cancer forced those conversations that I understood the weight of inherited risk — not only for me, but for the people I love. It also made me realize how vital resources like Jewish genetic testing are, as certain ancestries carry a significantly higher risk for these mutations.

As difficult as my diagnosis was, genetic testing became one of the greatest gifts to emerge from it. It gave me answers when I desperately needed them and allowed me to take control of my future. Yet, I often wonder what those answers could have meant if I had known them before I was diagnosed.

Carrying a BRCA gene mutation doesn't mean a diagnosis is guaranteed, but knowing your status early opens the door to proactive care. I could have started enhanced, frequent screenings at a younger age and worked with a healthcare team to manage my risks before cancer made the choices for me. This is why I am so passionate about genetic testing today. I want other women to have the opportunity I didn’t: the chance to know their risk before ever sitting in an oncology office.

That realization was too powerful to ignore. As a health educator, I realized we spend so much time teaching about nutrition and exercise, yet we rarely teach people how genetics and family history influence long-term health. If someone with my background could make it to 26 without understanding hereditary cancer risk, how many other young women are in the exact same position?

That question became the foundation for Fighting Under 40.

I created Fighting Under 40 to be the resource I wish I had. Through public speaking, educational content, and community outreach, my goal is to help young women understand their bodies, uncover their family history, advocate for themselves, and recognize when cancer genetic testing is appropriate. I believe every woman deserves the opportunity to make informed decisions about her body on her own terms. Breast cancer doesn't have an age requirement, and awareness shouldn't either.

If sharing my journey encourages even one person to ask a family member about their health history, take a genetic screening test, or advocate for answers they might have otherwise dismissed, then every conversation is worth it. Knowledge gives you options, and options save lives.