My Breast Cancer Story Ft. Pam aka The Chemist Mom
- Angela Inspires
- Sep 26
- 2 min read
Tell the world who you are!
My name is Pam (aka TheChemistMom) I am a mom, business owner, investor, and secondary school chemistry teacher with over 15 years educating the future! I have a BSc, BEd, MEd and love to share my knowledge of chemistry with my students and provide enriching experiences for my classes. I love spending time with my family, working out, reading books, completing crosswords, volunteering, and watching reality shows such as MasterChef!
How did you learn about your diagnoses?
I felt a lump in my left breast and asked for screening multiple times but was denied because I was young and appeared healthy and fit with no family history of cancer. I kept fighting and finally got a mammogram in October 2022 which showed I had bi-rads D density breast tissue (the most sense possible). Then I fought for more testing and finally got my ultrasound in April 2023. A fine needle biopsy later confirmed I had invasive ductal carcinoma.
What type of treatment did you receive?
21 rounds of chemotherapy with 8 being the most intensive and the remaining being herceptin infusions. Lumpectomy with three nodes removed.
19 rounds of radiation.
How is life now as a breast cancer survivor?
It’s challenging with daily struggles but I wake up each day feeling grateful and blessed. Then I trudge out of bed and start my daily physio exercises, stretches and lymph massage. The cancer meds weakened my ventricle function to 52% so I am constantly tired and out of breath. I can only work part time before I am exhausted and need a time out. I forget things, my nails were so brittle for so long and are finally getting stronger after over a year of finishing treatments. I am still taking tamoxifen so have multiple side effects from this drug such as hot flashes, night sweats, change in taste of foods.
What has breast cancer taught you about yourself?
To be grateful for every little thing and each day is a gift to be cherished.
Advice or words of encouragement you would like to share with the breast cancer community.
If you have a business or brand that caters to the breast cancer community please share and include all links and social media platforms. Keep fighting, keep pushing. Believe in yourself to get heard and be seen.
How can we connect with you?
Instagram: the_chemist_mom
Email: thechemistmom@gmail.com
- The Chemist Mom
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