Meet Faces of Hope Twin Breast Cancer Ambassadors from Silver Spring

The American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walks of Washington, DC and Central Maryland take place, respectively, on Saturday, October 14 at the Tidal Basin, and on Sunday, October 15 at Watkins Park in Mount Airy, Maryland.We are proud to recognize Making Strides participants and breast cancer survivors twin sisters Aleta and Alicia Sayas who are Faces of Hope ambassadors for the Central Maryland Making Strides walk. We thank them for sharing their journey to inspire other survivors and those who have friends or family diagnosed with breast cancer. To support their campaign, go to: https://secure.acsevents.org/s...To learn more or register for a walk near your community, see www.makingstrideswalk.org.

Twin sisters, Aleta and Alicia, diagnosed with aggressive forms of breast cancer four weeks apart in 2022. First, Aleta discovered a lump in her breast during a routine self-examination, which led to a biopsy and a diagnosis of invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) breast cancer. Since both twins have dense breasts, Aleta’s surgeon advised Alicia to have an MRI, even though Alicia’s 3D mammogram a few months earlier detected no issues.

“We're twins, so we share the same genetic material. I was very concerned because I knew a breast cancer diagnosis could easily be a possibility for me as well,” Alicia says. Following her MRI, Alicia was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer, just one day before Thanksgiving.

Although the twins are very close, Alicia says, “Never in a million years would I have thought that we would be sharing this diagnosis. It totally caught us off guard. However, after taking time to process this situation, I realized that my journey would not be in vain and, instead, transformational. I knew more than ever the importance of joining the fight and advocating for cancer cures, funding, additional screenings for dense breast patients, as well as promoting the importance of early detection, especially self-exams considering it was my sister's self-exam that saved my life.”

Aleta concurs, “It's crucial to know your body, so that it will be easier to notice any abnormal changes. If you are diagnosed, finding a good support group or any form of support is also essential. You truly do not know how strong a person is until you are diagnosed with breast cancer or any life-threatening disease. My strong faith in God, my sister-twin, my son, my best friend, and a host of friends who I call bonus sisters and brothers helped me significantly through my journey. I cannot forget my clinical team – they were the best. It's your body; become a part of the decision-making process. Know that you have to be in partnership with your doctor.”

For more information about breast cancer, see http://www.cancer.org.