10/07/2026
This October, we’re sharing the personal journeys of women whose lives have been touched by breast cancer. Today, Katelyn McDermott shares her story. Thank you for sharing Katelyn!
When I was diagnosed, I was shocked and just very sad; not only for myself but for my family. I knew that I was going to go through something awful and so were they. When I went in for my mammogram and immediately was asked to do an ultrasound led biopsy followed by a mammogram led biopsy, I knew in my heart that something wasn’t right. I was in denial waiting for a phone call that I knew deep down was coming. When it came, time stood still.
I was originally diagnosed with stage zero DCIS in June of 2025. The treatment plan was a total unilateral mastectomy. My surgery was in August of 2025 and when my pathology report was issued, my diagnosis changed. The breast cancer had moved beyond the milk ducts and into the breast tissue as well as micro metastases in a lymph node that was biopsied during surgery. I was then told I had stage 1 breast cancer. Breaking it down further I also learned that I was HER2 positive and hormone receptor negative.
While recovering from the mastectomy, I prepared to start chemotherapy. The first step was completing a round of IVF for family planning purposes. I then began 6 rounds of TCHP chemotherapy as well as Lupron injections that put me into chemically induced menopause in the hopes of preserving my reproductive system in October 2025. I completed those things in February 2026 and rang the bell. I was considered cancer free at that point but continued with active treatment. The next part of that being 12 rounds of Phesgo injections which are targeted therapy for HER2-positive breast cancer. I will finish that in October 2026 and be considered done with active treatment.
I have been cancer free for almost 8 months but honestly it doesn’t feel real. I am still in active treatment, I struggle with lingering side effects from the chemo and the medications I’ve been taking, I hurt. Most days I feel like this disease is going to linger over me forever – I try to live with hope, but fear is always in the back of my mind.
The most challenging part of treatment was asking for help. After surgery and during chemo there were days that I was completely helpless and unable to do seemingly normal things for myself like shower, dress, and get out of bed. It was hard asking for help, I felt like a burden to those around me. The most challenging part of recovery and survivorship is the uncertainty I feel rather than the relief I was expecting. That transition is full of stress, unpredictability and navigating a new normal, a new you. Lingering physical side effects, the mental toll of processing what I have been through, and the emotions balancing day-to-day activities post cancer affect my work, my parenting, my relationships with loved ones and friends, and of course there is always the fear of recurrence. I feel like I can never get too comfortable because cancer could come back.
I wouldn’t have survived without the constant support of my family, my community, and my care team. Every person I have encountered at my cancer facility has been nothing short of amazing – from the valet man who parks my car, to the women who take my labs, to my doctors and my infusion nurse who has become like family. I wasn’t just a patient number, I was a person and they went above and beyond to know me, carry me, and listen to me. I was also put in contact with some amazing organizations back at home that helped ease the financial burden of diagnosis; they helped me and my family through hardship, and I am so thankful to WINK, The Josh Palmer Foundation and the Fund for Women of the Southern Tier.
The support came at times during my diagnosis and treatment when we needed it most. Medical bills were coming in fast, and insurance only covered so much. Some things, like cold capping equipment, aren’t covered at all. The grants we obtained from these organizations truly helped us along the way. We received support in other ways too from friends and community members through Food Train. The meals, gift cards and donations we received sustained us and kept fresh, healthy groceries in our home. We were overwhelmed by the outpour of assistance we received!
I can do hard things. Every time I was faced with surgery, a scan, a medication, I went all in with a positive attitude and always hoping for the best. There was fear certainly and anger but mostly there was resilience and a will to beat this!
