One Woman’s Story

ONE WOMAN’S STORY: JENNIFER DREILINGER

Two years ago, I probably saved my life. I found a small, hard, rock-like lump in my breast when I was doing a self-exam. I remember this day like it was yesterday. I was looking at my sternotomy scar from my open heart surgery I had two years prior. I was thinking how I felt ready to explore laser scar removal so I could start wearing my favorite plunge necklines again. My husband had the day off and we were planning to go to lunch to commemorate this anniversary from my mitral-valve repair. The plans were quickly altered and let’s just say we never got to that celebratory lunch.

mother of three. She went through so much pain and unimaginable suffering with grace and dignity. It is hard to grasp that some cancer diagnoses are uncurable. She helped me to be courageous and determined in my fight and continues to be my guiding light.

As the pandemic began in March of 2020, I started searching for local breast cancer organizations to volunteer my time. Breast Cancer Alliance has given me the space to tell this story. I feel so fortunate to continue to meet courageous men and women who have battled this disease. This fight is not over until we find a cure and BCA’s programming and trailblazing efforts are cathartic for me. The warmth, devotion and tireless efforts of the leadership team are a contangeous group. I am living proof why early stage research, fellowships, education and support continue to be so important.

This is my story. It’s pretty nuts and it doesn’t define me; however I will tell you, even with all that I still consider myself lucky. Breast cancer can be a treatable, curable disease if caught early, so women, men, get busy! Conduct self-exams, schedule your yearly mammograms, because it’s so important to find any kind of cancer early. I am grateful and blessed for my husband of 21 years this May, my two sons who make me so proud, my incredible family, laughter with my friends, my new community of support through the BCA, and lastly my rescue and pal, Dash.

I would describe the next few months like being on roller coaster which I never got off. I was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma in March of 2019 and was told to move quickly. Regular life doesn’t pause with any diagnosis. I am a wife, daughter, sister, mother of two boys, a friend to many, and I own a creative services firm so I was determined to not let this breast cancer diagnosis stop me. I had a double mastectomy performed by the best, Dr. Elisa Port at Mount Sinai hospital. During my surgery, two of four positive lymph nodes were detected and so my journey continued. I worked with oncologist Dr. Amy Tierstein and remember feeling completely numb when I was told that the recommended treatment was Taxotere chemotherapy. She proceeded to say there is a small percentage of patients who experience permanent hair loss and I

would likely lose my hair. This truly crushed me. At the time I felt my long thick hair defined me; how would I get through this? My friends continuously rallied to support me and kept my spirits up. A group of them even stood by my side while I got my head shaved so that I no longer experienced the pain of watching my hair fall out naturally. My husband, parents and friends were with me “THIS FIGHT every step of the way. IS NOT OVER I was honest with my UNTIL WE children to let them know FIND A CURE AND BCA’S PROGRAMMING that the cancer was gone, and this treatment was AND TRAIL- preventative and I was BLAZING going to survive. EFFORTS ARE CATHARTIC Today, I continue with FOR ME.” anti-hormone therapy. I am blessed with amazing doctors who help me to manage my side effects. My breast cancer changed my life and body forever, but I am grateful to be here to tell my story. During the same time I had my surgery, my dear friend lost her five-year battle with pancreatic cancer. It was truly devastating and a huge loss as she was an incredible person, wife, and