Meet Katie Brennan: Lymphoma, Colon and Breast Cancer Survivor

How did your cancer journey begin?

My first cancer diagnosis came when I was 23 during my first year of teaching in Baltimore. I noticed a swollen lymph node that kept getting bigger, so I went home to New York to have it checked. I expected it to be something minor, but I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma. Although it was considered highly curable, I underwent six months of ABVD chemotherapy. Thankfully, I responded well and entered remission several months later.

How did you later discover you had colon and breast cancer?

About twelve years later, I developed persistent stomach issues. After finally getting a colonoscopy, I was diagnosed with Stage 1 colon cancer and underwent surgery. A year and a half later, I experienced breast pain. My fiancé encouraged me to get it checked, even though breast cancer wasn't on my radar. After my first mammogram and additional testing, I was diagnosed with Stage 2B HER2-positive, hormone receptor-negative breast cancer.

What connection did you later discover between your cancers?

Recent research has shown that doxorubicin, one of the drugs used in the ABVD chemotherapy regimen for Hodgkin's lymphoma, can increase the risk of secondary cancers, particularly breast cancer. Those guidelines didn't exist when I was treated. If they had, I would have started mammograms at age 30 instead of waiting until symptoms appeared. Sharing that information is one of the biggest reasons I tell my story.

Where are you now in your treatment?

I completed chemotherapy, had a mastectomy and reconstruction surgeries, and am finishing immunotherapy. After treatment, I'll continue with regular breast MRIs and follow-up monitoring. I'm currently cancer-free, but I'll celebrate even more once I can finally say goodbye to the chemotherapy chair.

How has cancer affected your mental health?

Survivorship can be harder mentally than treatment itself. After my first cancer, I felt pressure to be grateful and happy simply because I survived. Instead, I developed panic attacks because I hadn't processed the trauma. Therapy, medication when needed, support from loved ones, and educating those around you that survivorship is still difficult are all incredibly important.

What advice would you give someone newly diagnosed?

The days immediately after diagnosis are often the most frightening. Once you have a treatment plan, things become a little more manageable. Take one day at a time, lean on the people around you, and don't be afraid to tell people exactly what you need.

What advice would you give someone facing a recurrence?

Allow yourself to acknowledge your fears, but also remember that new treatments and research are happening every day. Imagine the best-case scenario as much as you imagine the worst. Hope is important.

How did cancer affect your relationships?

My husband became my biggest source of support by simply reminding me that we would get through everything together. I also learned that many friends don't fully understand life after cancer, so I've had to educate them that survivorship doesn't mean the emotional journey is over.

What do you want people without cancer to understand?

Cancer is never completely behind you. Even after treatment ends, survivors continue living with uncertainty and a heightened awareness of how fragile life can be. A little empathy and patience go a long way.

Is there one final message you'd like to share?

Please don't blame yourself if you've been diagnosed with cancer. I struggled with wondering what I had done wrong, but cancer is complex. Genetics, treatments, environmental exposures, and simple bad luck all play a role. No one deserves cancer, and survivors should never carry unnecessary guilt or shame.

If anyone is going through something similar and wants to chat with me, they can go over to my instagram account @millennialvscancer and message me any time. 

Photo Credit to Katie Brennan