I was miss diagnosed at the start At 39 years old, and by the time a was screened I was diagnosed with stage 3 Triple Negative Invasive Inflammatory breast cancer. My 10 cm tumor had already spread to my lymph nodes and was proliferating rapidly. This late diagnosis led to six months of intensive chemotherapy, a mastectomy, and 20 rounds of targeted radiotherapy, unfortunately, it wasn't enough. The cancer returned and now, I face a terminal diagnosis.

This could have been avoided if screening started earlier. I am not alone; there are many others like me. However, early detection significantly increases survival rates. If screenings were to begin at age 30, we would likely see a dramatic decrease in lives lost to this tragic illness (CDC, 2020).

We must demand change. We need our healthcare policies to reflect the reality of this disease. This isn't just a statistic – these are individuals' lives, and our healthcare system is failing them. I don’t want my story to become someone else's. By lowering the breast cancer screening age to 30, we can strive for early detection and increase chances of survival. Please, for me, for your sisters, your mothers, your daughters, and your friends – sign this petition. Together, we can make a difference.