Swantje, Germany

It began abruptly. I woke up at night from a dream and immediately felt a lump. I held it in my hand and knew: this is real. Later that same day, I had an appointment with my gynecologist. Four weeks later, chemotherapy had already begun. It was triple-negative breast cancer, treated with neoadjuvant therapy.

What has stayed with me to this day is not only the memory of the physical strain, but also of that constant inner state of emergency. Life shrinks to appointments, test results, waiting. Hope and doubt sit very close together.

A big thank you to the doctors, nurses, and therapists who carried me through that time.
To the research teams who tirelessly search for new ways to better understand and treat cancer.
And to all those who work every day to ensure that a diagnosis is no longer automatically a verdict.

Despite being covered by statutory health insurance, I was treated with great care and professionalism. I received all necessary diagnostics and therapies without restriction.

The diagnosis is overwhelming, but it is not the end of your story. Move forward one step at a time, ask questions, accept help, and trust that your strength will reveal itself along the way. Take the diagnosis seriously, but don’t allow it to become your identity. Trust your doctors, and focus on what you can influence.