It was a normal day when Adrianna noticed a pea-sized lump while getting out of the shower. She immediately scheduled an appointment with her doctor, who sent her to get screened. Because of the COVID pandemic, the hospital cancelled her screening.
Life resumed as normal for Adrianna, until she noticed the lump had grown to the size of a golf ball. She knew this was serious. Adrianna went back to be screened, which led to a biopsy as well. The results came back as stage 3 breast cancer.
Hearing those words from her doctor were surreal, and at first she didn’t know how to process them. There was no history of cancer in her family, so how could this happen?
After her diagnosis, previously unnoticed symptoms suddenly made sense. She was tired all the time, and now she knew it was her body fighting. With help from her family, she asked questions and began tackling treatment right away.
Adrianna’s journey included a double mastectomy, eight rounds of chemotherapy, and 36 rounds of radiation. She credits the support of her husband, family, and community as motivation to remain strong in the face of this fight, reflecting on how her husband was with her for every single appointment – sometimes waiting three or more hours while she finished her treatment.
Traditional practices also brought comfort, strength, and guidance during this time. Adrianna recalls coworkers burning sage for her in the midst of her treatments. She was honored during a pow wow, where she was presented a breast cancer ribbon skirt and the dancers danced around her, surrounding her with good medicine.
Now as a survivor, Adrianna devotes her time to sharing her story with Native youth, promoting education, screening, and advocating for your health. She is passionate about informing our communities about the importance of noticing the signs and listening to your body. Because she got screened, Adrianna is here to help change outcomes for our future generations.