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22 07, 2025

5 Cancer-Fighting Fruit Ice Cream Pies for Smart Indulgence

By |2025-07-22T11:25:55+03:00July 22, 2025|Fitness News, News|0 Comments


When it comes to dessert, few things are as refreshing as ice cream pies made with real fruit. But what if we told you these indulgent treats could also help support your body in the fight against cancer?

5 Fruit Ice Cream Pie Recipes: Guilt-free Indulgence

These 5 fruit ice cream pie recipes are not only delicious and easy to make but also packed with cancer-fighting nutrients like antioxidants, fiber, and phytonutrients. Plus, they’re free from refined sugar and artificial ingredients.

Mango Coconut Ice Cream Pie (Vegan, Dairy-Free)

image source: https://worldlytreat.com/

Ingredients:

Crust:
1½ cups almonds or walnuts
1 cup dates (pitted)

Filling:

  • 2 cups mango chunks
  • 1 can full-fat coconut milk
  • Juice of ½ lime
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup (optional)

Directions:

  • Blend crust ingredients and press into a pie pan. Freeze.
  • Blend filling ingredients until smooth.
  • Pour into crust and freeze for 4–6 hours.

Cancer-Fighting Benefits:

Mangoes are rich in beta-carotene and polyphenols with anti-tumor effects. Coconut milk provides lauric acid, which may inhibit cancer cell growth.

Source: National Library of Medicine – Polyphenols in Mango and Their Role in Cancer Prevention

Nutrition (per slice):
Calories: ~295 | Fat: 16g | Carbs: 30g | Fiber: 4g | Protein: 3g

Strawberry Yogurt Ice Cream Pie

5 Cancer-Fighting Fruit Ice Cream Pies for Smart Indulgence

image source: https://www.todaysnest.com/

Ingredients:

Crust:

  • 1½ cups rolled oats
  • 3 tbsp honey
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil

Filling:

  • 2 cups frozen strawberries
  • 1 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 tbsp honey

Directions:

  • Mix crust ingredients and press into a pie dish. Chill.
  • Blend filling and spread into crust.
  • Freeze 3–4 hours. Garnish with fresh strawberries.

Cancer-Fighting Benefits:

Strawberries contain ellagic acid, which inhibits cancer cell proliferation. Greek yogurt offers probiotics, linked to improved immune response.

Source: American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) – Foods That Fight Cancer: Berries

Nutrition (per slice):
Calories: ~260 | Fat: 10g | Carbs: 29g | Fiber: 3g | Protein: 7g

Banana Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pie

image: https://www.crazyforcrust.com/

Ingredients:

Crust:

  • 1½ cups oat biscuits
  • 2 tbsp peanut butter
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil

Filling:

  • 3 ripe bananas (frozen)
  • 3 tbsp peanut butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp cinnamon

Directions:

  • Press crust mixture into pan and freeze.
  • Blend filling and spread into crust.
  • Freeze for 3–4 hours.

Cancer-Fighting Benefits:

Bananas are high in dopamine and resistant starch, which support gut health. Peanuts contain resveratrol, a plant compound with anti-cancer potential.

Source: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry – Health Benefits of Peanut Phytochemicals

Nutrition (per slice):
Calories: ~330 | Fat: 17g | Carbs: 32g | Fiber: 4g | Protein: 6g

Pineapple Mint Ice Cream Pie

Ingredients:

Crust:

  • 1 cup cashews
  • 1 cup dates
  • 1 tbsp chia seeds

Filling:

  • 2 cups frozen pineapple
  • ½ banana
  • ½ cup coconut milk
  • Fresh mint leaves
  • Juice of ½ lemon

Directions:

  • Blend crust ingredients and press into pan.
  • Blend filling ingredients until creamy.
  • Pour into crust and freeze for 4–5 hours.

Cancer-Fighting Benefits:

Pineapple contains bromelain, an enzyme with anti-inflammatory and tumor-fighting properties. Mint offers rosmarinic acid, known for its antioxidant action.

Source: MDPI – Bromelain in the Management and Prevention of Cancer

Nutrition (per slice):
Calories: ~270 | Fat: 12g | Carbs: 31g | Fiber: 4g | Protein: 3g

Berry Chia Ice Cream Pie

image: https://www.blissfulbasil.com/

Ingredients:
Crust:

  • 1 cup walnuts
  • 1 cup dates
  • 2 tbsp chia seeds

Filling:

  • 2 cups mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries)
  • ½ banana
  • ½ cup Greek yogurt or coconut cream
  • 1 tbsp honey

Directions:

  • Press crust mixture into dish and freeze.
  • Blend filling and pour into crust.
  • Freeze 4–6 hours. Garnish with fresh berries.

Cancer-Fighting Benefits:
Berries are packed with anthocyanins and flavonoids, which protect cells from oxidative stress. Chia seeds provide omega-3 fatty acids and lignans, both linked to lower cancer risk.

Source: Journal of Cancer Prevention – Role of Berries in Cancer Prevention

Nutrition (per slice):
Calories: ~280 | Fat: 13g | Carbs: 29g | Fiber: 5g | Protein: 5g

These fruit ice cream pies are more than just a cool treat—they’re a smart way to sneak in cancer-fighting nutrients while satisfying your sweet tooth. Whether you’re looking to support your immune system, protect your cells, or eat cleaner, these recipes make healthy living feel indulgent.

Disclaimer
The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.



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21 07, 2025

No estaba cansada. Tenía insuficiencia cardiaca.

By |2025-07-21T21:17:16+03:00July 21, 2025|Fitness News, News|0 Comments


English

Tal como se relató a Erica Rimlinger

“Estoy bien. Lo que pasa es que no comí suficiente cuando desayuné”, le dije al personal médico en la sala de emergencias. Me estaba preparando para salir del hospital. Mis colegas, expliqué, estaban siendo demasiado cautelosos cuando pidieron una ambulancia para mí. Les dijeron a los paramédicos que perdí el conocimiento y que me golpeé con el escritorio cuando caí. No recordaba eso, pero el moretón que se estaba formando en un lado de mi cuerpo era evidencia de lo que decían.

A pesar de eso, me daba vergüenza todo el alboroto y quería ir a casa, así que después de insistir me dejaron salir de la sala de emergencias. Soy abogada y puedo ser muy persuasiva. Sí, estaba cansada. ¿Qué madre que trabaja no lo está? Pensé que la menopausia, mi medicamento para las migrañas y falta de sueño estaban causando la dificultad para respirar que experimenté cuando subía por las escaleras o cuando cargaba mis esquís hasta el telesquí.

Esa noche, y los días y noches siguientes, me sentí mal en general. No podía describirlo: Era un malestar. Estaba agotada pero no podía dormir. Una noche a las 2 o 3 A.M., estaba cambiando de canales ansiosamente en la cama y empecé a ver un especial de comedia de Rosie O’Donnell.

Justo en ese momento, O’Donnell describía los síntomas de enfermedades cardiacas que padecen las mujeres. Recordé que el personal médico había sugerido que un problema cardiaco podía ser una de las muchas posibles causas de mi desmayo y que recomendaron que haga seguimiento con un cardiólogo. No creía que tenía un problema cardiaco porque tenía 48 años y cuidaba mi salud razonablemente, pero programé una cita con un cardiólogo de todas formas.

En esos momentos, en la televisión, O’Donnell listaba todos los síntomas específicos que yo tenía. ¿Dolor en la parte posterior del brazo o del cuello? Sí ¿Fatiga? Sí ¿Retención de líquidos en exceso? Miré mis tobillos y estaban hinchados. Sí ¿Sensación de miedo? Desde luego.

O’Donnell dijo, “si estás experimentando estos síntomas, ve al hospital ahora”. En esos momentos me preocupé. A las 5:15 A.M. desperté a mi esposo y fuimos a la sala de emergencias.

Esta vez, me quedé para que hagan una examinación completa. Todavía no conocía al cardiólogo con quién programé la cita pero él justo estaba ahí. Me diagnosticó una insuficiencia cardiaca total. No había bloqueos en mi corazón, pero solo estaba funcionando a entre el 5 y 10% de su capacidad. Dijo, “es como si su corazón no estuviese funcionando. No sabemos cómo sigue con vida”. Tuvieron que someterme a una cirugía cardiaca de emergencia para colocar un desfibrilador y un marcapasos.

Estaba conmocionada. No podía creer que estaba tan enferma. De hecho, mi cerebro que estaba privado de oxígeno resistía tanto estas noticias que le dije a mi esposo que el doctor nos estaba diciendo que podía tomar mi medicamento e ir a casa. ¡El doctor me tuvo que explicar mi situación tres veces e incluso tuvo que hacer un dibujo!

Mis cirujanos instalaron un desfibrilador y un marcapasos para que mi corazón emita latidos apropiadamente. Tuve que tomar un mes de descanso en el trabajo y cuando regresé lo hice con jornadas reducidas. Mientras mis doctores y yo identificamos las dosis correctas de mis medicamentos, pasé meses haciendo rehabilitación cardiaca, trabajando duro para recuperar mi salud tres veces a la semana con sesiones de dos horas por la mayor cantidad de tiempo posible siempre y cuando mi seguro pague esos servicios.

En esos momentos, tenía ansias de recuperarme completamente, pero recordándolo me gustaría haber sido más paciente. Además de la carga física de mi enfermedad, empecé a sentir una tristeza incontrolable. Afortunadamente, los cirujanos me advirtieron que eso era algo común después de cirugías cardiacas, así que los arrebatos aparentemente aleatorios de llanto no me sorprendieron completamente.

Con la combinación de dispositivos y medicamentos que suplementaban mi función cardiaca, sentí una enorme diferencia en mis niveles de energía en etapas tempranas de mi recuperación. Sentía que mi cerebro iba a mil por hora. Empecé a comprender completamente cuánto me demoraba en procesar información cuando estaba enferma. Casi inmediatamente disminuí 20 libras de peso por el agua que ya no estaba reteniendo, y un mes y medio después de mi cirugía, podía caminar tres millas en las noches con mi esposo. No había podido caminar tanto durante algún tiempo.

  2025

Comparto mi historia con otras mujeres porque mi vida la salvó alguien que contó lo que le pasó. Soy una persona educada y consciente, pero no reconocí los síntomas. Recuerdo cómo sobrellevé mi vida ajetreada, sintiéndome enferma pero sin analizar esa sensación y sin detenerme para adaptarme o cuestionarlo. Ahora, presto atención a mis instintos. Si siento que algo está mal, no lo ignoro. Hago que alguien lo evalúe.

Les digo a mujeres de mi edad que no descarten automáticamente la posibilidad de una enfermedad cardiaca. Si bien no consumía alcohol ni drogas, me enteré que el corazón puede deteriorarse de otras formas. Uno de mis doctores sugirió que mi enfermedad cardiaca pudo haber sido causada por una infección y mi genética.

Recientemente, mis doctores hablaron conmigo acerca de la posibilidad de remover el marcapasos. A veces, después de funcionar bien por un tiempo, el corazón puede empezar a enviar señales eléctricas correctamente otra vez por su propia cuenta. No sé todavía lo que me depara el futuro desde el punto de vista médico. Nunca quise convertirme en un símbolo de enfermedades cardiacas, pero si tan solo una mujer lee esto y reconoce su experiencia en mi historia, mi corazón se llenará de alegría.

Este recurso educativo se preparó con el apoyo de Novartis 

¿Eres una mujer con historias reales que te gustaría compartir? Avísanos 

Nuestras historias son experiencias auténticas de mujeres reales. HealthyWomen no avala los puntos de vista, opiniones y experiencias expresadas en estas historias y no reflejan necesariamente las políticas o posiciones oficiales de HealthyWomen.

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18 07, 2025

Strength Beyond the Game: Vicky Fleetwood

By |2025-07-18T12:33:45+03:00July 18, 2025|Fitness News, News|0 Comments


Screenshot

Victoria Louise “Vicky” Fleetwood is a rugby union player and personal trainer. She represented England at the 2014 Women’s Rugby World Cup and the 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup.

Vicky played the majority of her early career at Hooker, but is equally as comfortable in the back-row. Career highlights to date, include winning the Rugby World Cup in 2014, a bronze medal in the 2018 Commonwealth Games as well as multiple 6 Nations and Tyrell’s Premier 15s Championships.

A level 3 personal trainer, Vicky has worked in some of the best gyms in London. Widely regarded as one of the fittest players around, her wealth of experience as an international athlete allows her to bring the same intensity to sessions with her clients. Rugby commitments sometimes mean that F2F services can be a challenge, but Vicky also offers online sessions alongside bespoke programming for clients.

Fleetwood made her England debut in 2011. She made six appearances in the 2014 Women’s Rugby World Cup, which England won. In 2017 she made three appearances for England at the Women’s Rugby World Cup, including in the final which England lost to New Zealand. After the 2017 World Cup, she switched to England 7s, competing for England in the 2018 Commonwealth Games; the team took the bronze medal.

Strength Beyond the Game: Vicky Fleetwood

She returned to 15s in 2019 as England won the 2019 Women’s Six Nations. She was injured out of the 2019 Women’s Rugby Super Series, but was named Player of the Match in the Quilter International match versus Italy later that year. Fleetwood was again part of the England team as they won the 2020 Women’s Six Nations.

Aged 14, Fleetwood began playing for Leicester Forest. She joined Lichfield aged 17 as part of the Under 18s squad, and later graduated to the senior’s team. She continued to play for Lichfield while attending university with teammate Emily Scarratt. She joined Saracens Women in 2014, then rejoined the team in 2020. Born in Hinckley in 1990, Fleetwood has a twin brother named Andrew. She was a junior hurdler and sprinter before switching to rugby.

She attended John Cleveland College and then Leeds Metropolitan University. Alongside rugby, Fleetwood is a successful personal trainer. In 2017 she appeared on the cover of Stylist magazine as part of a feature on the England Women’s Rugby team.

Women Fitness President Ms. Namita Nayyar catches up with Vicky Fleetwood, an exceptionally talented International Rugby Player, Fitness Personality and Motivational Speaker, here she talks about her fitness regime, and her story to success.

Namita Nayyar:

You were born in Hinckley in England. You have been playing was a junior hurdler and sprinter before switching to rugby since an early age. You were a junior hurdler and sprinter before switching to rugby. Later at the age of 14 years, you began playing for Leicester Forest. You joined Lichfield at age of 17 years as part of the Under 18s squad, and later graduated to the seniors team. This later propelled your career to the height where you have been at the top of the world as a women rugby player. Tell us more about your professional journey of exceptional hard work, tenacity, and endurance?

Vicky Fleetwood:

I wasn’t a naturally fit athlete. Coming from sprinting for years, anything further than a few hundred meters was hard work, so that was something I really dialed into when reaching the senior Women’s team. I never wanted to be bad at anything, so that was my biggest driver, not necessarily to be the best, but to not be the worst!

Victoria Fleetwood

Namita Nayyar:

It is a dream for a rugby player to play in the Women’s Rugby World Cup. You made six appearances in the 2014 Women’s Rugby World Cup, which England won. Tell us more about this spectacular achievement of yours?

Vicky Fleetwood:

I was so lucky to experience this, and will be forever grateful. With sport, you’re always up against other athletes, staying fit and being at the top of your game. This isn’t always the case and you end up missing out on so many things throughout your career. Winning the World Cup was truly amazing, and something I’ll always be proud of.

Namita Nayyar:

You are the world-leading International Rugby Player, Fitness Personality and Motivational Speaker. How do you manage such a remarkable multi-dimensional lifestyle?

Vicky Fleetwood:

I’m now retired from rugby, but am still in the game coaching. I try to stay fit and healthy, and am now a keen cross fitter. The motivational speaking comes from experiences that I’ve had, and things I’ve learnt along the way that I can then educate others with.

Full Interview is Continued on Next Page

This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar President of womenfitness.net and should not be reproduced, copied, or hosted in part or full anywhere without express permission.

All Written Content Copyright © 2025 Women Fitness

Disclaimer
The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.



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17 07, 2025

I Wasn’t Tired. I Was in Heart Failure.

By |2025-07-17T20:24:46+03:00July 17, 2025|Fitness News, News|0 Comments


As told to Erica Rimlinger

“I’m fine. I just didn’t eat enough breakfast,” I told the medical staff in the emergency room. I was gearing up to walk out of the hospital. My co-workers, I explained, were being overly cautious by ordering the ambulance for me. They told the EMTs I passed out, fell and hit a desk on the way down. I didn’t remember that, but the developing bruise on my side testified to the truth of their account.

Still, I was embarrassed by all the fuss and wanted to go home, so I talked my way out of the ER. As an attorney, I am pretty good at arguing. Sure, I was tired. What working mom isn’t? I blamed menopause, my migraine medication and lack of sleep for the breathlessness I was experiencing walking up the stairs or carrying my skis to the ski lift.

That night, and the following days and nights, I felt generally bad. I couldn’t describe it: It was more of a malaise. I was exhausted but couldn’t sleep. One night at 2 or 3 a.m., I was restlessly flipping channels in bed when I stopped at a Rosie O’Donnell comedy special.

At that very moment, O’Donnell happened to be describing the symptoms of heart disease in women. I remembered the medical staff had suggested a heart problem as one of the many possible causes for my fainting and recommended I follow up with a cardiologist. I didn’t believe, as a reasonably health-conscious 48-year-old, I had a heart issue, but I made the cardiologist appointment anyway.

Now, on the television, O’Donnell was listing all the specific symptoms I’d been feeling. Pain in the back of the arm or the neck? Check. Fatigue? Check. Excess water gain? I looked at my ankles, which were swollen. Check. Feeling of dread? Absolutely.

O’Donnell said, “If you’re experiencing these, go to the hospital right now.” I was now worried. At 5:15 a.m. I woke up my husband, and we went to the ER.

This time, I stayed for a full exam. The cardiologist I’d made the appointment with but hadn’t seen yet happened to be there. He diagnosed me with complete heart failure. There were no blockages in my heart, but it was functioning at only 5%-10% capacity. He said, “You have virtually no heart function. We don’t know how you’re living.” I’d have to have emergency heart surgery to place a defibrillator and pacemaker.

I was shocked. I couldn’t believe I was that sick. In fact, my oxygen-starved brain was so resistant to this news, I told my husband the doctor was telling us I could get my medication and go home. The doctor had to explain my situation to me three times and even had to draw me a picture!

My surgeons installed a defibrillator and pacemaker to keep my heart beating properly. I had to take a month off work and returned part-time after that. While my doctors and I figured out my correct medication dosages, I spent months in cardiac rehab, working hard to regain my health three times a week for two hours at a time for as long as my insurance paid for it.

At the time, I was anxious to recover fully, but in hindsight I wish I’d been more patient. In addition to the physical toll of my illness, a wave of uncontrollable sadness hit me. Fortunately, my surgeons warned me this was a common occurrence after heart surgery, so I wasn’t completely caught off guard by my seemingly random outbursts of sobbing.

With the combination of the devices and medications helping my heart function again, I felt a huge difference in my energy levels early in my recovery. My brain felt like it was on steroids. I began to fully understand just how long it had been taking me to process information when I was sick. I almost immediately lost 20 pounds of water weight, and within a month and a half of my surgery, I could take three-mile evening walks with my husband. I hadn’t been able to make it that far for a while.

  2025

 

I share my story with other women because my own life was saved by somebody speaking out. I’m an educated, health-aware person, but I didn’t recognize the symptoms. I think back to how I’d powered through my busy life, feeling sick but not analyzing the feeling or stopping to accommodate or question it. Today, I listen to my instincts. When something feels off, I don’t ignore it. I get it checked out.

I tell women my age to not automatically rule out the possibility of heart disease. Although I wasn’t a drinker and didn’t take drugs, I learned the heart can get sick in other ways. One of my doctors suggested my heart disease may have been caused by an infection, helped along by my genetics.

Recently, my doctors have discussed with me the possibility of removing the pacemaker. Sometimes, after it’s functioning well for a while, the heart can start sending the correct electrical signals again on its own. I don’t know yet what my medical future holds. I never wanted to be the face of heart disease, but if just one woman reads this and recognizes her experience in my story, my heart will be happy.

This educational resource was created with support from Novartis.

Have your own Real Women, Real Stories you want to share? Let us know.

Our Real Women, Real Stories are the authentic experiences of real-life women. The views, opinions and experiences shared in these stories are not endorsed by HealthyWomen and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of HealthyWomen.

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17 07, 2025

What’s Behind the Underdiagnosis of ADHD in Black Women?

By |2025-07-17T16:22:51+03:00July 17, 2025|Fitness News, News|0 Comments


July is Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month.

As a child and young adult, Stephanie Robertson appeared to be the ideal student. She earned near-perfect grades throughout high school and attended some of the nation’s top universities. By her mid-20s, she’d graduated from law school and was beginning her career with a New York City law firm.

Internally, however, Robertson fought to keep it all together. She found it difficult to fit in with peers and classmates and struggled with managing fixed schedules and routines. She hyperfixated on specific topics before losing interest, a pattern that made it tough for her to remain focused in some classes and on the job.

While Robertson could channel the racing thoughts in her head into her schoolwork as a child, those coping strategies stopped working as an adult. She struggled to maintain jobs and pay her bills. For a period of time, she began drinking heavily to stifle the endless thoughts running through her mind and the overwhelming sense of frustration she felt about her life.

In 2009, a therapist suggested she might have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. Robertson dismissed the idea because she’d never met a Black person, let alone a Black woman, with ADHD. For another 13 years, she’d see multiple doctors and experience just as many incorrect diagnoses before getting an official ADHD diagnosis in 2023.

Robertson knows if she had more examples of Black people with ADHD, she might have identified her own symptoms and sought help earlier. That’s why she joined the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) as director of mental health equity innovation to help address disparities in mental healthcare.

“When I was diagnosed with ADHD, I went through this period of feeling so excited that everything started to click and make sense,” Robertson said. “Knowing and being able to understand the reasons for these things makes a huge difference.”

Disparities in ADHD diagnoses

Robertson had good reason for initially dismissing the ADHD suggestion. A study from 1997, the year she graduated from high school, noted how only 16 articles or studies of ADHD among thousands focused on Black children.

Black women and girls were least likely to be diagnosed with ADHD, while white women and girls were the least likely to receive a conduct disorder diagnosis.

A more recent review of racial and sex disparities in ADHD and conduct disorders found white people were 26% more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD, and 61% less likely to receive a conduct disorder diagnosis than their Black counterparts.

The authors suggested disparities could be related to teachers and providers viewing ADHD symptoms as willful misbehavior in Black children, leading to the conduct disorder label. Underdiagnoses could also stem from social and cultural disparities — such as lack of awareness about ADHD symptoms, lack of access to treatment, misconceptions about the condition and treatment and stigma about seeking help for mental health issues.

Read: Think You Know What ADHD Is? Think Again. >>

ADHD symptoms also tend to appear differently in women than men, making them easy to be misdiagnosed or missed altogether. For example, women’s behavior is more likely to be inattentive than hyperactive. Robertson said she directed her impulsive tendencies inward in educational settings by hyperfixating on certain goals or tasks, such as making jewelry or immersing herself in learning the German language.

“Because it was always quirky and/or educational things I obsessed over, no one really questioned it,” Robertson said. “I was a quiet person who kept to herself, so the reaction was just ‘she’s fine,’ when I absolutely was not fine.”

Although Robertson earned her undergraduate degree from Duke University, finishing with a 3.4 grade point average, more cracks began to show in college. She got a poor grade for the first time in her life, although looking back, she knows it was because she wasn’t interested in the subject and couldn’t focus. At law school, she failed a class during her first year and struggled to manage the whirlwind of classes and job recruitment interviews.

Stephanie Robertson, 2025 (Photo/Corey Pilson)

After finishing law school, Robertson bounced through jobs, relationships and responsibilities for more than a decade, burning bridges along the way. She’d start a job and focus intensely on her duties in the beginning, but after losing interest, she would have difficulty completing tasks. She often chose to quit before potentially being fired and dealt with anxiety and depression.

“That’s another piece of ADHD I’ve learned about,” she said. “You get really intense and when you lose interest, you forget and you stop.”

The spiral continued as Robertson began drinking heavily. Healthcare providers thought she was having manic episodes and diagnosed her with bipolar II disorder. She began taking a mood-altering drug that had the potential for dangerous side effects but still didn’t feel better.

Robertson was angry — angry that treatment wasn’t helping, angry that her life was falling apart and angry that employers didn’t seem to understand why she was having difficulty getting work done. Well aware of the “angry Black woman” trope that portrays Black women as abnormally hostile or aggressive, Robertson wonders how many Black women are unfairly stigmatized with that label because their mental health needs aren’t being met.

“I probably was angry because I just wasn’t able to communicate the way I wanted and people weren’t willing to listen,” she said. “I was angry at the lack of accommodations in society in general as well.”

Eventually, Robertson gained the confidence to become more open with her colleagues about what she was experiencing and someone suggested that her symptoms sounded more like ADHD than bipolar. Finally, in 2023, she underwent a psychological assessment that resulted in an ADHD diagnosis.

Fight for yourself

Robertson still struggles with daily activities that might seem simple to others and wishes she’d had the opportunity to develop better management skills and strategies earlier in life. That’s why she’s an advocate for greater awareness of ADHD symptoms among people of color, especially women.

“I am miserable half the time because my mind is all over the place,” she said. “I’m always wondering ‘Did I pay this?’ ‘Do I have to go get this?’ ‘I forgot 10 items at this store.’ ‘I have 10 million things to do.’ ‘I have 10 million tabs open.’ It’s so overwhelming and it’s exhausting.”

Medication can also be helpful, along with mindfulness exercises, physical exercise and techniques like cognitive behavioral therapy to help deal with racing thoughts and overwhelming tasks. Finding support at the workplace is crucial, and Robertson now tells employers she’s capable of delivering great work but not always within a traditional 9-to-5 time frame. She’s always been that way — in high school, she often woke up at 4 a.m. to get schoolwork completed.

Robertson has also been open about her experiences in recent years to help others better manage their own mental health and seek treatment, if needed. Before joining NAMI, she was an assistant dean at Duke and worked to create space for students to be comfortable sharing their concerns.

“Fight for yourself,” Robertson said. “If you’re feeling like something is different about you and you’re not being listened to, educate yourself about ADHD and other mental health concerns and become an advocate for yourself and your needs.”

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16 07, 2025

Need inspiration? 5 unique jewelry gift ideas to try

By |2025-07-16T16:10:41+03:00July 16, 2025|Fitness News, News|0 Comments


Whether it’s for a birthday, anniversary, graduation, or just because, jewelry gifts have a timeless appeal. They’re thoughtful, beautiful, and deeply personal — the kind of present that doesn’t just sparkle, but speaks. If you’re looking for something a little different, here are five unique ideas that go beyond the ordinary.

1. Engraved charms that tell a personal story

Custom engraved jewelry is always a hit. Whether it’s a bracelet, necklace, or charm, an engraving adds a deeply personal touch. Think initials, meaningful dates, or short messages like “Love you always” or “You got this.”

These pieces are ideal for:

  • Anniversaries: engrave a date or name.
  • Graduations: add a class year or an inspiring word.
  • Birthdays: include a zodiac symbol or birthdate.

Why it works: it’s a heartfelt way to show that you put thought into the gift. Custom engraving turns even a simple piece into a cherished keepsake.

2. Layered necklaces for effortless style

If your recipient loves fashion, a set of layered necklaces makes a trendy and stylish gift. Choose chains of different lengths with mixed textures or feature a standout pendant as the focal point.

Ideas for layers:

  • A delicate choker with a thin chain.
  • A medium-length necklace with a symbolic charm (heart, star, or compass).
  • A longer piece with an elegant drop pendant.

Pro tip: Look for sets that can be worn separately or together for more versatility.

3. Birthstone jewelry with meaning

Birthstones make any jewelry gift feel instantly personalized. Whether it’s a ring, bracelet, or necklace, adding a birthstone shows you’ve thought about the recipient’s unique identity.

Here’s how to match by month:

  • January – Garnet
  • February – Amethyst
  • March – Aquamarine
  • April – Diamond or Clear Quartz
  • May – Emerald
  • June – Pearl or Alexandrite
  • July – Ruby
  • August – Peridot
  • September – Sapphire
  • October – Opal or Tourmaline
  • November – Topaz or Citrine
  • December – Turquoise, Tanzanite, or Zircon

Why it works: birthstones have both aesthetic and symbolic value. They’re often associated with qualities like strength, love, wisdom, or protection — making them meaningful as well as beautiful.

4. Friendship bracelets with modern flair

Friendship bracelets aren’t just for childhood. Today’s versions are sleek, elegant, and meaningful. Matching sets or individual pieces with complementary designs can be the perfect gift for a best friend or sibling.

Popular styles include:

  • Chain bracelets with engraved plates.
  • Charms that symbolize unity or shared values.
  • Adjustable woven bracelets for casual charm.

Tip: choose designs that suit both your and your friend’s personality — minimalist, boho, glam, or edgy.

5. Charm bracelets that evolve with time

Charm bracelets are the gift that keeps on giving. You can start with a few symbolic charms and let the wearer add to it over time — creating a story that evolves with them.

Great for:

  • Graduations: start with a cap or scroll charm.
  • New parents: include a baby shoe, heart, or initial.
  • Travel lovers: add a globe, suitcase, or specific country charm.

Why it works: these gifts grow more valuable over time — not in cost, but in meaning. It becomes a collection of memories.

How to choose the perfect jewelry gift

When shopping for jewelry gifts, consider the following:

  • Style preferences: classic, modern, bold, or minimalist?
  • Metal choice: silver, gold, rose gold?
  • Lifestyle: do they prefer daily wear or occasion pieces?
  • Size and fit: consider wrist or neck size for comfort.

If you’re not sure, go with adjustable pieces, which offer a more universal fit.

Jewelry is more than decoration — it’s an emotional gift, filled with sentiment, memories, and love. By choosing a piece that suits the recipient’s personality and marking it with a special meaning — whether through engraving, symbolism, or design — your gift will become part of their everyday life.

For even more inspiration, explore Nomination Italy collection of unique jewelry gifts designed for every occasion, taste, and story.

Because sometimes, the smallest boxes hold the most meaningful messages.

Disclaimer
The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.



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15 07, 2025

Lessons from Kintsugi – HealthyWomen

By |2025-07-15T23:58:39+03:00July 15, 2025|Fitness News, News|0 Comments


In my work with couples, I like to think of the Japanese art of kintsugi. The word means “gold repair,” and it refers to the practice of mending broken pottery with lacquer and powdered gold. Rather than hiding the cracks, kintsugi illuminates them. The once-broken object becomes even more beautiful — not in spite of its history, but because of it.

The same can be true for relationships.

Every couple will experience breaks. Sometimes they come in the form of betrayal, misunderstanding, a slow drift, or simply the accumulation of unmet needs. When a relationship cracks under pressure, the instinct might be to throw it away or try to force it back to the way it once was.

But that’s not possible because the original form has changed. It’s kind of like the example where someone crumples up a piece of paper and then smooths it out again. It’s still an intact piece of paper, but it’s definitely not the same smooth surface it was before.

iStock.com/MarioGuti

But unlike that crumpled piece of paper, which just lays bare the damage it went through, with no improvement, kintsugi reminds us that there is the potential to build upon what came before and shape it into something new, something beautiful.

Shattered relationships are like shattered pottery

When couples come into therapy, they’re often sitting with the broken pieces of something they once valued deeply. The process of healing, of rebuilding connection, takes effort. It cannot be rushed — and it rarely looks like a perfect restoration. In fact, we wouldn’t want it to because that would mean there hadn’t been any growth.

Each step a couple takes toward one another, even in discomfort, builds confidence that repair is possible. Over the years, I’ve seen relationships grow stronger not by avoiding conflict but by nurturing the skills they need to move through it. The cracks don’t disappear, but they become part of a story you’ve written together.

So, how does this translate into everyday relationship work?

Here are 4 tips couples can use to strengthen their connection after a fracture:

1. Embrace imperfection: Rather than aiming for a flawless relationship, focus on building one that can handle real life. Talk openly about the moments that have felt difficult or disappointing. Use language like “this was hard for me” instead of pointing fingers. Schedule time to identify what you’ve learned from past conflicts. The goal is not to erase the break but to understand it and learn how to respond differently moving forward.

2. Practice self-compassion: It’s easy to be hard on yourself or your partner when something goes wrong. Instead, notice the inner voice that shows up after conflict. Ask yourself, “Would I speak to a friend this way?” If not, rewrite the narrative. During moments of tension, take a pause and simply say, “We’re both doing the best we can right now.” This small practice helps lower defensiveness and creates space for repair.

3. Build resilience through reflection: After a disagreement or challenging season, set aside time to reflect as a couple. Ask each other, “What helped usget through that?” and “What could we do differently next time?” Write your answers down. Keep a shared journal or document where you track these reflections. Over time, this record becomes a reminder of your capacity to navigate difficulty together.

4. Create meaning together: Language shapes perspective. If you describe every argument as a failure, you’re less likely to see opportunities for growth. Instead, shift the frame. Try saying, “That was a turning point” or “We learned something important about ourselves there.” Mark these moments when you’ve come together to fix something and celebrate them, even if it’s in small ways.

The art of moving forward

Lessons from Kintsugi – HealthyWomen

iStock.com/Marco Montalti

Repairing a relationship is rarely about returning to what was. It is about deciding, together, what comes next. Just like kintsugi honors the history of a broken object by making it more meaningful, couples have the opportunity to create something new out of what may have felt lost.

If you’re in the process of repair, give it time, give it care, and remember that the effort you put into understanding each other is what makes the bond even stronger than it was before.

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15 07, 2025

What Women Need to Know About Heart Failure

By |2025-07-15T09:50:55+03:00July 15, 2025|Fitness News, News|0 Comments

Have you heard of heart failure? It’s not a heart attack. But they’re both forms of heart disease.

A heart attack is when blood flow to the heart is suddenly reduced or blocked. Heart failure happens when the heart doesn’t pump blood as well as it should. And it affects almost 3 million women a year.

Understanding this condition can help you know if you’re at risk — and what you can do about it.

The dangers of heart failure

Heart failure, which usually happens over time as the heart muscles become weaker, can lead to many serious problems, including:

  • Kidney damage
  • Liver damage
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Sudden heart attack
  • Malnutrition
  • Breathing problems

The causes of heart failure

Anything that damages the heart or makes it work too hard may lead to heart failure.

This includes health conditions like:

  • Clogged blood vessels (coronary artery disease)
  • Infection in the heart muscle (endocarditis)
  • Past heart attack (myocardial infarction)
  • Heart problems you’re born with (congenital heart defects)
  • High blood pressure (hypertension)
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Metabolic syndrome
  • Kidney disease
  • Low red blood cell count (severe anemia)
  • Overactive or underactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism)
  • Heartbeat that is too fast, too slow or irregular (arrhythmia or dysrhythmia)
  • Certain viruses, like the herpes virus or influenza

Lifestyle factors may also increase your risk of heart failure. Some of them are:

  • Smoking
  • Not getting enough exercise
  • Obesity 
  • Eating foods high in fat and cholesterol

In women — particularly women who are postmenopausal — the most common causes of heart failure include:

  • High blood pressure
  • Heart valve disease
  • Diabetes
  • Coronary artery disease

Types of heart failure

Heart failure is grouped into three main categories.

Left-sided heart failure happens when the left side of the heart has to work harder to pump the same amount of blood. There are two kinds of left-sided heart failure:

  • Systolic failure (also called heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, or HFrEF), when the left lower chamber (ventricle) can’t tighten normally
  • Diastolic failure (also called heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, or HFpEF), when the left lower chamber (ventricle) can’t relax like it should

Right-sided heart failure usually happens due to left-sided failure. When the left side of the heart can’t pump enough blood, pressure buildup can damage the right side.

Congestive heart failure happens when the blood returning to the heart through your veins backs up, causing fluid to collect. This may lead to swelling (edema) throughout the body, including in the lungs (pulmonary edema). This can make it hard to breathe.

Congestive heart failure can also keep the kidneys from getting rid of sodium and water, which may make swelling even worse.

Signs and symptoms of heart failure

For some people, heart failure symptoms come on slowly. For others, they may be sudden.

Symptoms of heart failure can include:

  • Shortness of breath
  • Feeling tired or weak
  • Fast or irregular heartbeat
  • Swelling (edema) in the ankles, legs and feet
  • Swelling in the belly
  • Wheezing
  • Cough that won’t go away
  • Upset stomach/loss of appetite/nausea
  • Memory loss, feeling disoriented, confusion
  • Sudden weight gain or loss

If you experience any of these symptoms, be sure to check them out with a healthcare provider (HCP).

Diagnosing heart failure

Heart failure is diagnosed using a combination of tools. First, an HCP will ask about your medical history, including any health issues or lifestyle choices that might increase your risk of heart failure.

Your HCP will also ask how you’ve been feeling. (It’s a good idea to bring a list of symptoms when seeing an HCP about your heart, along with a list of your medications.)

Next, your HCP will give you a physical exam and decide which tests to order. (They may also send you to a cardiologist, a doctor who focuses on the heart.)

Some tests used to diagnose heart failure are:

  • Blood tests to check for certain molecules that go up during heart failure
  • Echocardiography (echo) to measure how much blood is pumped out of your left ventricle (ejection fraction)
  • Other imaging tests such as a chest X-ray, CT scan or MRI to see how well your heart is working
  • Electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) to test your heart’s electrical activity
  • Stress test to see how your heart handles exercise

Treating heart failure

Treatment of heart failure depends on what’s causing it and how serious it is. Heart failure can’t be cured, so the goal of treatment is to reduce symptoms and improve quality of life.

Thankfully, the list of medicines used to treat heart failure is long. Medications can include:

  • Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), which widen blood vessels to lower the heart’s workload
  • Angiotensin-receptor neprilysin inhibitors (ARNIs), which is the combination of two blood pressure medicines and can be used to widen blood vessels, reduce blood pressure and lessen strain on the heart
  • Beta blockers, which keep the heart from beating too fast or hard
  • Diuretics (water pills), which help the body to get rid of extra fluid
  • Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, which help lower blood sugar and are often used as one of the first treatments in heart failure
  • Aldosterone antagonists (also called potassium-sparing diuretics), which are water pills that help lower high blood pressure and improve heart function in people with heart failure

People with heart failure often need more than one medication.

Devices that may be helpful for people with heart failure include:

  • Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Defibrillator (CRT-D) – a device that sends signals to the lower chambers of the heart to help synchronize your left and right ventricles
  • Ventricular assist device (VAD), a device that helps the heart pump blood and is most often placed in the lower left chamber

Surgery isn’t always necessary to manage the condition. However, there may be cases where certain surgeries, such as surgery to clear blocked arteries, fix a heart valve defect or reroute blood flow to the heart, may be needed. A heart transplant may be required for people who can’t be helped by other treatments.

Living with heart failure

Changing your lifestyle may also help keep heart failure symptoms in check. It’s a way that you can be proactive about your treatment, and little tweaks can make a big difference. Lifestyle changes can include:

  • Maintaining a healthy weight
  • Keeping your blood sugar in check if you have diabetes
  • Setting aside time for rest, relaxation and stress management
  • Strengthening your heart with physical activity
  • Eating heart-healthy foods like vegetables and whole grains
  • Quitting smoking
  • Avoiding or limiting alcohol intake
  • Protecting yourself from flu, pneumonia and Covid with vaccines

A healthcare provider also may suggest cardiac rehab, which includes exercise counseling and training, heart-healthy living education, and counseling to manage stress.

Together with your HCP, you can figure out a treatment plan that will allow you to live your best life with heart failure.

This educational resource was created with support from Novartis.

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11 07, 2025

What Women Need to Know About Heart Failure

By |2025-07-11T00:49:49+03:00July 11, 2025|Fitness News, News|0 Comments

Have you heard of heart failure? It’s not a heart attack. But they’re both forms of heart disease.

A heart attack is when blood flow to the heart is suddenly reduced or blocked. Heart failure happens when the heart doesn’t pump blood as well as it should. And it affects almost 3 million women a year.

Understanding this condition can help you know if you’re at risk — and what you can do about it.

The dangers of heart failure

Heart failure, which usually happens over time as the heart muscles become weaker, can lead to many serious problems, including:

  • Kidney damage
  • Liver damage
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Sudden heart attack
  • Malnutrition
  • Breathing problems

The causes of heart failure

Anything that damages the heart or makes it work too hard may lead to heart failure.

This includes health conditions like:

  • Clogged blood vessels (coronary artery disease)
  • Infection in the heart muscle (endocarditis)
  • Past heart attack (myocardial infarction)
  • Heart problems you’re born with (congenital heart defects)
  • High blood pressure (hypertension)
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Metabolic syndrome
  • Kidney disease
  • Low red blood cell count (severe anemia)
  • Overactive or underactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism)
  • Heartbeat that is too fast, too slow or irregular (arrhythmia or dysrhythmia)
  • Certain viruses, like the herpes virus or influenza

Lifestyle factors may also increase your risk of heart failure. Some of them are:

  • Smoking
  • Not getting enough exercise
  • Obesity 
  • Eating foods high in fat and cholesterol

In women — particularly women who are postmenopausal — the most common causes of heart failure include:

  • High blood pressure
  • Heart valve disease
  • Diabetes
  • Coronary artery disease

Types of heart failure

Heart failure is grouped into three main categories.

Left-sided heart failure happens when the left side of the heart has to work harder to pump the same amount of blood. There are two kinds of left-sided heart failure:

  • Systolic failure (also called heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, or HFrEF), when the left lower chamber (ventricle) can’t tighten normally
  • Diastolic failure (also called heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, or HFpEF), when the left lower chamber (ventricle) can’t relax like it should

Right-sided heart failure usually happens due to left-sided failure. When the left side of the heart can’t pump enough blood, pressure buildup can damage the right side.

Congestive heart failure happens when the blood returning to the heart through your veins backs up, causing fluid to collect. This may lead to swelling (edema) throughout the body, including in the lungs (pulmonary edema). This can make it hard to breathe.

Congestive heart failure can also keep the kidneys from getting rid of sodium and water, which may make swelling even worse.

Signs and symptoms of heart failure

For some people, heart failure symptoms come on slowly. For others, they may be sudden.

Symptoms of heart failure can include:

  • Shortness of breath
  • Feeling tired or weak
  • Fast or irregular heartbeat
  • Swelling (edema) in the ankles, legs and feet
  • Swelling in the belly
  • Wheezing
  • Cough that won’t go away
  • Upset stomach/loss of appetite/nausea
  • Memory loss, feeling disoriented, confusion
  • Sudden weight gain or loss

If you experience any of these symptoms, be sure to check them out with a healthcare provider (HCP).

Diagnosing heart failure

Heart failure is diagnosed using a combination of tools. First, an HCP will ask about your medical history, including any health issues or lifestyle choices that might increase your risk of heart failure.

Your HCP will also ask how you’ve been feeling. (It’s a good idea to bring a list of symptoms when seeing an HCP about your heart, along with a list of your medications.)

Next, your HCP will give you a physical exam and decide which tests to order. (They may also send you to a cardiologist, a doctor who focuses on the heart.)

Some tests used to diagnose heart failure are:

  • Blood tests to check for certain molecules that go up during heart failure
  • Echocardiography (echo) to measure how much blood is pumped out of your left ventricle (ejection fraction)
  • Other imaging tests such as a chest X-ray, CT scan or MRI to see how well your heart is working
  • Electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) to test your heart’s electrical activity
  • Stress test to see how your heart handles exercise

Treating heart failure

Treatment of heart failure depends on what’s causing it and how serious it is. Heart failure can’t be cured, so the goal of treatment is to reduce symptoms and improve quality of life.

Thankfully, the list of medicines used to treat heart failure is long. Medications can include:

  • Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), which widen blood vessels to lower the heart’s workload
  • Angiotensin-receptor neprilysin inhibitors (ARNIs), which is the combination of two blood pressure medicines and can be used to widen blood vessels, reduce blood pressure and lessen strain on the heart
  • Beta blockers, which keep the heart from beating too fast or hard
  • Diuretics (water pills), which help the body to get rid of extra fluid
  • Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, which help lower blood sugar and are often used as one of the first treatments in heart failure
  • Aldosterone antagonists (also called potassium-sparing diuretics), which are water pills that help lower high blood pressure and improve heart function in people with heart failure

People with heart failure often need more than one medication.

Devices that may be helpful for people with heart failure include:

  • Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Defibrillator (CRT-D) – a device that sends signals to the lower chambers of the heart to help synchronize your left and right ventricles
  • Ventricular assist device (VAD), a device that helps the heart pump blood and is most often placed in the lower left chamber

Surgery isn’t always necessary to manage the condition. However, there may be cases where certain surgeries, such as surgery to clear blocked arteries, fix a heart valve defect or reroute blood flow to the heart, may be needed. A heart transplant may be required for people who can’t be helped by other treatments.

Living with heart failure

Changing your lifestyle may also help keep heart failure symptoms in check. It’s a way that you can be proactive about your treatment, and little tweaks can make a big difference. Lifestyle changes can include:

  • Maintaining a healthy weight
  • Keeping your blood sugar in check if you have diabetes
  • Setting aside time for rest, relaxation and stress management
  • Strengthening your heart with physical activity
  • Eating heart-healthy foods like vegetables and whole grains
  • Quitting smoking
  • Avoiding or limiting alcohol intake
  • Protecting yourself from flu, pneumonia and Covid with vaccines

A healthcare provider also may suggest cardiac rehab, which includes exercise counseling and training, heart-healthy living education, and counseling to manage stress.

Together with your HCP, you can figure out a treatment plan that will allow you to live your best life with heart failure.

This educational resource was created with support from Novartis.

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10 07, 2025

I Have Outlived My Metastatic Breast Cancer Diagnosis

By |2025-07-10T18:46:21+03:00July 10, 2025|Fitness News, News|0 Comments


As told to Erica Rimlinger

Six months into my first pregnancy, I felt a lump in my breast and brought it up at my doctor’s appointment. “Oh, that’s normal,” my OB-GYN said. “That happens when you’re pregnant.”

Three years later, in 2022, I sat in a hospital gown looking at a PET scan of my body. Each patch of light on the black background showed where cancer had taken residence. The scan was lit up like the Las Vegas strip at night.

That lump was not “normal.” It was HER2-positive breast cancer, and by the time it was discovered three years later, it had spread everywhere.

As shocking as that image was, I’d known something wasn’t right in my body after my daughter was born, and for three years afterward. My hair had turned three shades darker and was falling out and breaking. I slept 12 hours a night and took two-hour naps to get through the day. I saw specialists who diagnosed me with hypothyroidism. In the summer of 2022, I found dimpling in my breast, like I had a broken implant — except I didn’t have implants. Again, a dermatologist told me it was “normal.”

In the fall of 2022, the muscles in my chest felt sore, and when I was showering, I felt a lump. This time, my doctor told me to get a mammogram and ultrasound, which led to a biopsy and diagnosis. I was in my early 30s, mom to a toddler, had always worked out, and had no family history of cancer. How could I have breast cancer? I didn’t fit the criteria.

But the PET scan, glowing brightly, showed breast cancer that had spread to my lymph nodes, thyroid, kidneys, liver, stomach, skeletal system and more.

I immediately started chemotherapy and hormone suppressants. My insurance wouldn’t cover a brain MRI, even though I had cancer everywhere from the neck down and HER2-positive breast cancer commonly heads to the brain when it spreads. My doctor fought for the brain MRI and, in February 2023, it came back clear.

More good news followed: In April 2023, I finished chemotherapy and my tumors had shrunk considerably. My liver enzymes were normal. I stayed on hormone therapy, and my hair grew back. I had regular scans to make sure I was still moving toward my goal of NED, “no evidence of disease.” My doctor sent me for a second brain MRI in August.

I was sitting on the couch with my daughter getting ready to take her to school when I got the call about the brain MRI results.

It was the worst-case scenario: There was cancer in my spinal cord fluid. When cancer metastasizes there, it’s called leptomeningeal disease, and it is incurable. When I rushed in to see my doctor, and three more doctors, that morning, I was told I would live two weeks without treatment and four months with treatment.

I had 10 rounds of radiation on my whole brain and whole spine. I learned there was a medical team in Baltimore using proton radiation. My insurance denied this treatment, but I fought and won.

 

  2025

 

In Baltimore, I stayed at a home for young adults fighting cancer. I missed my daughter and husband back in Tampa, but it was nice to have a car service to the hospital and the companionship of a survivor community with people my age.

The treatment itself, however, wasn’t nice. I vomited all the way home afterward and throughout the whole night, even though I’d been given anti-nausea medication. The second round had me convulsing with nausea from the smell of burning flesh. I was told only some people could smell that during treatment. After the first four days of treatment, I was throwing up every other hour.

After 10 rounds, I’d lost 30 pounds and felt as though my esophagus was burned off. But I made it through. Now, I could return home and have my first-ever surgery: I’d have a port inserted into my brain that could deliver a new vaccine straight into my spinal cord fluid. The vaccine was so new, I’d be the second patient to get it.

For the next 16 Mondays, I’d show up for my six-to-eight-hour appointment. Although the vaccine took just 10 minutes to administer, it could only be mixed after I checked into the hospital, so most of my time was spent waiting. As the vaccine trickled down through the port in my brain into my spinal cord, I could hear it. Then came the pain, which I rated 10 out of 10. It was so severe I couldn’t move for an hour afterward, so severe that when my mom was driving me home and hit a speed bump, I threw up all night from the pain.

In January 2024, I reached my goal of NED from the neck down, but scans showed I’d developed brain tumors. I switched to a breast cancer treatment that crossed the blood-brain barrier. I could take this medication as a pill at home, but it caused me to lose 80% of the vision in my right eye. I started getting injections into the eyeball to prevent it from spreading to the other eye, but it didn’t work.

 I Have Outlived My Metastatic Breast Cancer Diagnosis 2025 (Photo/Danielle Nicole)

 

I had to switch to my third line of treatment in two years. I now get this chemotherapy every three weeks. Days three through five are hard, but I get two weeks of feeling well on this medication.

My healthcare providers predicted I’d survive four months, but I’ve now lived for nearly two years with leptomeningeal disease. I’m in uncharted territory. So far, I’m the only person who has been able to finish the vaccine.

I discovered the Leptomeningeal Cancer Foundation, which connects and advocates for people with this disease. I’ve met incredible people through this network, and I’m always willing to share my experience with the vaccine with people who have questions. I encourage people to try it, but I don’t sugarcoat it or make it sound easy.

The people I’ve met through this resource have helped me learn to live with my disease. I advocate for myself. I try every trial, and every new treatment, even if it’s scary. I focus on looking forward. My family has planned a trip to Jackson Hole next March. My daughter, Palmer, has never seen snow. I want to do this first, and all the firsts, with her. She has so many to experience.

I’m a logical person, and I’m not in denial. I only get emotional when I talk about Palmer. She’s the reason I’m fighting. She is light and joy, and she’ll be the reason I know my family will be okay. She will bring everyone through this.

After my diagnosis, I wrote 21 birthday letters for Palmer. I wanted her to read them on her birthdays after I was gone, to ensure she knew her mom’s love remained with her as she grew up. I’ve now lived long enough to throw away the first five letters because I can tell her I love her in person. I’m determined now to throw out the sixth.

This educational resource was created with support from Merck and Daiichi.

Have your own Real Women, Real Stories you want to share? Let us know.

Our Real Women, Real Stories are the authentic experiences of real-life women. The views, opinions and experiences shared in these stories are not endorsed by HealthyWomen and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of HealthyWomen.

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