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A Survivor's Story with Brittany Land
My Story
I was diagnosed with stage 3, triple-positive breast cancer in October 2019 at 24 years old, just two years after graduating college. I found a lump in my breast in July of 2019 and immediately saw my doctor. They didn’t believe it was breast cancer due to my age, but told me to come back in three months to follow up. At that appointment, they noticed it had changed shape and size, and wanted to biopsy it. My biopsy was the next day and I received results the following week. I was in denial about it being cancer, but at the same time had a strange feeling it was. Hearing the words “it’s cancer” is a feeling I will never forget. My mom fell to her knees and it felt like time stood still. We asked for a moment to get ourselves together but when the doctor came back in, I had a sense of calmness and asked what I needed to do to get this journey started. I was ready to fight. I then had a double mastectomy, did a round of IVF to freeze eggs before chemo, completed one year of chemo, eight weeks of radiation and I’ve had three reconstruction surgeries so far.
BRCA Gene/Family History
My grandmother (mom’s mom) was diagnosed with breast cancer years before me when I was in college. She tested negative for the BRCA (breast cancer) gene, so my mom and her three sisters didn’t think they’d ever have to worry about it. When I was diagnosed, they immediately tested me and my mom, and we were also negative. My mom was taking care of her mom and daughter at the same time until her mom passed away in March 2020. I still admire how strong she is and how much courage that took. Fast forward to September 2022, and my mom is also diagnosed with breast cancer. Three generations who are all negative for the gene, all battling this ugly disease. Crazy, right? I want young women to know how important it is to stay on top of their breast health and be proactive, regardless of genetics and family history. My mom told me that I saved her life because she was taking extra precautions due to our family history and she was able to discover hers early. She also completed chemo and had a double mastectomy followed by reconstruction and we are so thankful we are still here to tell our story and encourage/be a light to other women.
How ZTA Impacted Me
I think the sense of calmness I felt when I was diagnosed was due to knowing I would have the support from ZTA. I immediately thought of the survivors I met during my time in ZTA and that really gave me hope. My chapter was attending a fundraiser in my hometown just 11 days after my mastectomy and I was determined to make it there to see them. It was tough, but I made it and I’m so glad I did because the encouragement they gave me is something I’ll never forget. Julianna Salyer, a Zeta who is a few years older than me, was working for designer Kendra Scott at the time and hosted fundraisers for me, which took away some financial stress for me and my family. That is something that would’ve never happened if it weren’t for Zeta. I was receiving mail every day from sisters I attended college with, some of them I didn’t even know because we have such a large chapter, and that really encouraged me to keep fighting. I had around 50 friends who came to visit the weekend I finished chemo and we had a huge celebration, and over half of them were Zeta sisters. They were already passionate about breast cancer education and awareness thanks to ZTA, so having their support was extra special to me. When I go back to Gamma Zeta to speak, I always express the importance of our philanthropy and the importance of making friends and being kind, because you never know when you’ll need each other to lean on—even years after graduating. We have a philanthropy that most people unfortunately have a connection with and we have to use our voice to make a difference. I talked to women all four years of being in college on how to perform a self breast exam, but never performed one on myself because I thought I was too young. I accidentally found my lump when I was lying on my couch. I always tell the chapter to encourage college-aged girls to stay on top of their breast health, too, because they could be saving a life.
Life After Cancer
Life after cancer definitely has its challenges and it feels like the journey is never ending. I am still doing PET imaging scans every six months, get a Zoladex injection every three months to block my hormones, suffer from lymphedema and neuropathy, and experience anxiety and PTSD about it often. But I have to remind myself it’s OK to have bad days, as long as you get back up. Giving back to my breast cancer community and supporting others through their journey is what keeps me going. I currently live in Biloxi, Mississippi, and serve as the Survivor Coordinator for Carter’s Champions, an organization that donates 100% of the money we raise to the Memorial Hospital Foundation in Gulfport, Mississippi. Our biggest event is the Pink Dress Run that we host every October. Although this is such a fun event for a great cause, I bring the “thrivers” on stage to tell their stories so people understand that this disease is ugly and it’s real, and it’s not always pretty and pink. I seriously wouldn’t trade my journey for anything and will continue to use my voice to fight for these brave women and men as well.