Meet Faces of Hope Breast Cancer Survivor from Towson

The American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk of Baltimore takes place Saturday, October 21, 9am, at Camden Yards Sports Complex, Lot C. We are proud to recognize Making Strides participant and breast cancer survivor Melissa Lees as one of the event's Faces of Hope ambassadors and thank her for allowing us to share her journey to inspire other survivors and those who have friends or family diagnosed with breast cancer. To learn more or register for Making Strides of Baltimore, go to: http://www.makingstrideswalk.o....

Melissa Lees had just recovered from a pulmonary embolism with cardiac arrest six months earlier when she felt a lump in her breast while showering. She immediately scheduled a mammogram and was diagnosed with breast cancer. “My mantra is I did not get a second chance at life to have cancer take me out,” says Melissa.

She persevered even though it was the pandemic, she couldn’t have visitors at the hospital during treatment, and she had a negative reaction to treatment with Taxol. She created a TikTok series to share her story.

"My colleagues at Loyola University, my gym family at Nevermore CrossFit, and my warrior tribe got me through, “ she says. “My Loyola students made a Making Strides team in 2022. It was an incredibly positive experience. I felt part of a bigger community.”

She hopes "that one day women or families won’t have to go through the same journey. I have made it my mission to share information with other young women. I want women to know there is life after cancer. I am slowly getting to decide who I get to be after this experience, and it’s terrifyingly exciting.

Melissa emphasizes the importance of checking yourself and “Don’t skip your mammogram appointments because it’s inconvenient.”

To support Melissa's Making Strides campaign, go to: https://secure.acsevents.org/s...

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