MILWAUKEE — April 23, 2022 is a day Monique Morris will always remember; it was her wedding day.
“It was the best, because my husband truly is my best friend,” Morris said.
Not only did she marry the love of her life, but she and her husband Brandon were also able to share their special day with their 1-year-old son, BJ.
“With our vows you hear 'Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad,” Morris said.
In that moment, Morris was unaware of what was around the corner: A cancer diagnoses at 31-years-old.
Morris said she felt a lump on her breast. She said she thought it was something to do with breastfeeding her son, but it was actually breast cancer.
“That was my first thought: 'How is this going to affect my family?'" Morris said. “I’m looking at my mom holding my very young son and the only thing I could think of is, 'How am I going to be here for him?' and 'I have no idea what is going to happen to me at this point.'”
Morris underwent 16 rounds of chemotherapy. Then she had a single mastectomy, 25 rounds of radiation and hormone suppression therapy.
“You kind of maintain normalcy out of necessity, because you’ve got a family to take care of,” Morris said. “None of that stops because you were diagnosed with cancer.”
Dr. Judy Tjoe is a breast surgeon at Ascension Wisconsin. Tjoe said while breast cancer normally occurs for women in their 50s and 60s, she has noticed more younger women are being diagnosed.
“I think women are becoming more increasingly aware of their own health,” Tjoe said. “I think women nowadays are more in tune and making sure they get their mammograms or seeing their doctors when they feel a lump. They’re being more proactive.”
Tjoe said younger women also have denser breasts.
“We think there is something about the connective tissue that produces some chemical factors that influence the breast cells that line the ducts and the lobules,” Tjoe said.
She also believes what you’re eating, how you’re sleeping, if you’re exercising and how your stress levels are, can play a role.
Tjoe encouraged annual mammograms starting at age 40, unless a patient has a family history of breast cancer.
She said one in eight women will have breast cancer in their lifetime; that’s why early detection is key. This is why Morris is sharing her story.
“Expressing my gratitude by volunteering and through helping other women has been very helpful in my own healing process,” Morris said. “Hopefully, my story will help someone avoid going through this process or if they do find themselves in this situation hopefully, they can find hope and happiness.”