In May 2024, Anuradha was pregnant with her fifth child when she went to her 8-week prenatal appointment. During the visit, the doctor felt a lump in Anuradha’s breast during the routine clinical breast exam and sent her for a breast ultrasound. The ultrasound led to a biopsy, which revealed that, at 38 years old and newly pregnant, Anuradha had breast cancer.
When she heard the news that she had breast cancer, Anuradha’s first thought was, “Why is this happening to me again? I was distraught.” After the birth of her first child, Anuradha was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, which was successfully treated. This time, she was diagnosed with Stage 2 invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC).
After the shock of her breast cancer diagnosis, Anuradha worked hard to reframe what she described as an initial “toxic” outlook. She shares that “it took me a really long time to think that this is just a season of my life. I was being strong on the outside but really struggling with a ‘poor me’ mentality.” To help change her perspective, Anuradha’s mother and brother would take morning walks with her: “The walks would boost my mood, and my mother and brother used positive talking with me. I eventually told myself that I needed to get out of this funk and gain back myself and my independence.”
Anuradha shares that throughout both cancer diagnoses, she’s had a strong support system. “My husband has been my rock,” Anuradha says. “He takes me to every appointment, which says a lot because he travels so much for his job. When he travels, he makes sure that someone is always at home helping me with the kids. My mom has been flying in and out of the country to help support me and help me with the kids throughout the entire process.”
Anuradha continues that her family has helped her remain grounded and present throughout her diagnosis and treatment. She says, “My family has been helpful in making me not feel sorry for myself. It was hard realizing that everyone else was moving along normally in life, and I was not. I was thinking that the world revolved around me when really this was just a season of my life.”
With her support system in place, Anuradha was able to move forward with treatment while in the second trimester of her pregnancy. The first and most immediate need was surgery. She shares how being pregnant complicated this procedure: “Being pregnant, I could not be on the surgery table for long, and I didn’t have the option for reconstruction surgery. I had a unilateral mastectomy.”
Following her doctor’s advice, Anuradha also underwent three cycles of chemotherapy after surgery and while pregnant. Her final chemotherapy cycle would need to take place after the baby’s birth: “After I had my baby and had to start back on chemo, I felt sad that I had to do it all over again. I felt emotional about losing my hair again, and I didn’t know what to expect in terms of side effects because I wasn’t growing a baby anymore. I was scared the chemo would affect me differently.”
As someone uniquely qualified to give advice to other moms facing breast cancer, Anuradha encourages them to prioritize themselves along with their kids. “The challenging part of being a mom facing a cancer diagnosis is thinking that I would have no time for my kids,” she shares. “But I have been able to do everything for them as usual, and I’ve learned to also put importance on my own needs and myself in the process.”
Anuradha has practical advice for other moms who may be facing breast cancer while caring for young families. She says, “Put yourself first. Use positive self-talk. Watch a movie, take a class, do what makes you happy, try something new. I try to keep my focus on what’s important—my kids—and on keeping a regular schedule for them. Take it easy on yourself, focus on you, your joy, and your self-care. Stay busy as long as you have the energy. Accept help to clean your home, get a babysitter, and find time for a date night. It’s important to let your spouse know your struggles, too.”
Today, Anuradha, her husband, and her five boys, now ages 9, 7, 5, 1, and 4 months, are doing well. She recently finished her last rounds of chemo rang the bell at her treatment center!
Anuradha is turning 40 this year and is looking forward to traveling to see the Northern Lights with her family. She shares that their family is always on the go and loves to travel and spend as much quality time together as they can.
As she continues her journey into survivorship, Anuradha encourages other women to have faith in the process: “Everyone is different. Our journeys are not the same. But we can learn to be strong from others’ experiences. Have faith and hope that things will work out. For me, cancer is not my life; it is only a part of my life.”
National Breast Cancer Foundation is here for you as you navigate a breast cancer diagnosis. Visit our website to learn about NBCF breast cancer support groups, obtain free educational resources, or find a patient navigator in your area.
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