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Leslie Rubin
My name is Leslie Rubin and I am 32 years old. I am a Social Worker with the Circuit
Court Medical Office in Baltimore City. I was diagnosed with Stage 2B breast cancer on
November 17, 2008 at the age of 29, a day that I will never forget.
When people ask how I first found my lump, my response is always "it found me." I
remember rolling over in bed one morning in September 2009 and feeling a pain in my
right breast. The pain reminded me of a deep muscular bruise one may get from bumping
into something or working out too hard. It was tender to the touch, but there were no
visible black and blue marks. When I told friends and family about my lump, many
would say, "you’re 29 and way too young to have cancer. It’s probably nothing." These
were the re-assurances I held onto when I allowed my mind to entertain the thought that
the lump could be something more serious. Two sonograms, one mammogram, and two
biopsies later, something was definitely not right...it was cancer.
Following my diagnosis, I was referred to Dr. Michael Schultz at the Breast Center at
St. Joseph Medical Center. He recommended a BRCA genetic test given my young
age and diagnosis. Two weeks later, I found out I was BRCA1 positive. My cancer
journey has taken me through 6 rounds of chemotherapy, 28 rounds of radiation, a double
mastectomy, and several reconstructive surgeries with Dr. Larry Lickstein.
I would not have been able to give you an answer if asked on November 17, 2008 what
the next two and a half years of my life would look like. I couldn’t see beyond the fear
and unfairness of my breast cancer diagnosis. But the love and support from family,
friends, and strangers that blossomed out of that time of despair was not only amazing,
but inspiring as well. I refused to let this disease get the best of me, but rather to embrace
it. Instead of focusing on all that I would lose (breasts, hair, positive self image, a sense
of security), I focused on what I would gain: self-confidence, strength, a new perspective
on life, and a lifetime membership in an amazing sisterhood. I completed my MSW
degree in May 2009 while going through treatment, and in November 2009, the most
wonderful man in the world asked me to marry him. I am a Breast Cancer Survivor!
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