It was just a normal Saturday morning in December 2018. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. JUST out of the corner of my eye I noticed an odd spot on my breast…what is that? Was it a red spot from the hot shower? I went back to the mirror and felt my breast and there it was. A lump.

There was no way it was cancer – I had A CLEAN mammogram five months before. My husband, a pediatrician and my rock, was out of town. I got dressed and went about my day with an uneasy feeling. As it happened that night I had dinner plans with friends, one of whom is a breast surgeon. I asked him for a quick exam. He simply said, “you need to get that looked at.”

Fast forward a couple of weeks. My diagnosis was triple-negative breast cancer. My treatment plan was in the works and mapped out for a year: chemo, surgery, radiation. My family and I navigated the insurance, the emotions, the doctors and treatment, the ups and downs, the hair loss, the hope. In a moment of levity, I named the offensive disease Hermie. “Kill Hermie” became my mantra. We created “Kill Hermie” t-shirts and bracelets. My family, friends and co-workers rallied around me with so much love and support. I am so lucky to have these people in my life. And, even strangers found their way to me with their stories of cancer battles and opportunities for hope.

Nine months later, I have skin expanders in my chest, in preparation for reconstruction after the diseased tissue has been radiated and removed. Hermie is dead! I look back on my journey and think about all the cancer patients out there who don’t have insurance or families or friends who can step in to help. They can’t afford wigs or be able to miss work. Navigating this battle has been a challenge for me emotionally, socially and financially. I am a lucky survivor in so many ways. It is my turn to share my story, to offer some support to other cancer patients. That is why I am starting the MEME Foundation to support cancer challenges for patients. Please join me in giving to patients in serious need.

- Mimi Tran, Founder of Me Squared Cancer Foundation