A Breast Cancer Journey & the Protection of the Affordable Care Act

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month—a reminder that behind every pink ribbon there are real people, real families, and real stories. 

Mine is one of them.

When Breast Cancer Becomes Personal

Before my husband Michael and I returned to Fort Worth in 2017, we lived in Louisville, Kentucky, where I worked as a Regional VP of Operations at Xerox Business Services and had excellent health insurance. For most of my life, I never had to think much about what it meant to go without coverage. I’d been insured through my father’s plan at Lockheed-Martin until I aged out at 24, and then through my own jobs starting with BellSouth. Not having insurance simply wasn’t on my radar.

That changed in August 2014 when I was diagnosed with Stage 2 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma.

Breast cancer. Just hearing those words was terrifying. I was fortunate—my test results showed a low likelihood of recurrence, and although I underwent a bilateral mastectomy and eight years of hormone therapy, I was spared chemotherapy and radiation. I’ll never forget my oncologist saying, “We could do chemotherapy if it would make you feel better.” The look on my face must have said it all.

I can joke about parts of it now, but the truth is that a cancer diagnosis is traumatic—brutally so. The fear is overwhelming, not just for the person diagnosed, but also for their loved ones. Michael may not have endured the surgeries, but he bore the weight of every fear, every sleepless night, every tear. Cancer is not just an individual disease—it’s a family disease.

Now, imagine facing that same trauma without insurance. Not knowing if you can pay the bills. Wondering if you’ll have to sell your home just to stay alive. The fear is compounded a hundredfold.

Michael and I were spared that added burden because of my employer’s coverage. Additionally, Xerox began offering a separate cancer policy for a few dollars extra out of each paycheck during our 2014 benefits enrollment. On a whim (despite no family history of cancer), I opted in, and eight months later was diagnosed with cancer. Within a week of the formal diagnosis, the policy sent us a check for $30,000—enough to cover the fairly significant copays and deductibles as well as replace my lost income during my leave of absence. That check removed the threat of financial devastation and allowed us to focus on healing rather than worrying whether we could keep a roof over our heads or food on the table.

Life Changes, Health Insurance Changes

When Michael retired from retail and we started our cleaning business—first in Louisville, then here in Fort Worth after my transfer—we had to make new healthcare arrangements. Michael now has Medicare, but I’m still four years away from eligibility. My current coverage is a high-deductible plan through healthcare.gov, made possible only because of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Here’s the critical point: the only reason I can have insurance today is because of the ACA. Before 2010, no insurer would have covered me due to my history of cancer—the innocuously termed “pre-existing condition”. And the only reason we can afford that coverage is because of the subsidies created under subsequent reforms driven by the ACA.

Fast Forward to Today

I found a new lump last month. Testing confirmed the cancer is back.

I’ve not started treatment yet, but the scans and doctor visits alone have already totaled more than $42,000.

Let me repeat that: $42,000—before treatment has even begun.

But because I have insurance, we don’t have to shoulder that full amount. What we do pay is still burdensome, but it’s manageable. Insurance makes the difference between financial ruin and the ability to focus on fighting cancer.

Why This Story Matters

I’m not sharing our story to advocate for any one system of healthcare or to argue politics. Cancer doesn’t check party registration. There’s no Democrat cancer, no Republican cancer. The next diagnosis made could be your mother, your sister, your father, your brother regardless of personal belief systems.

My message and request is simple: understand and support the Affordable Care Act. Understand the protections it created, the subsidies it provides, and the difference it has made for millions of families like mine.

Every American deserves the security of knowing that if they’re diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, they’ll have access to care—and the chance to focus on healing rather than bankruptcy.

As we recognize Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I share my story as a reminder that awareness is not just about pink ribbons—it’s about the policies and protections that give families a fighting chance.

Learn more about us by visiting our About Us page and for a clear, neutral explanation of what the ACA provides, I recommend the Affordable Care Act overview from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.