Behind the Bra

Throw your fit, then put your big girl panties on.

Feel life when it’s hard, but don’t stay there.
Go find your happiness.
These are bold words from Molly Fulton, who shared with us, her beautiful story about overcoming trauma and learning how to be grateful for a breast cancer diagnosis.

When Molly enlisted in the Navy, she was told she'd be a good fit as a Naval Secretary, but she knew she wanted more, and eventually, she served in the Navy as an Airman. Life was moving right along when, at only 19 years old, she lost her first child while she was 5 months pregnant. The heartache continued when, just a few months later, her mother passed away.

After spending some time in Arizona and giving birth to two amazing children, Molly moved back to the east coast with her kids, hoping to provide them with better education, and escaping an abusive marriage at the same time. Life started to come together while she built a career in health and human services, finished her college degree, and eventually remarried. Life was GOOD.

This was until her brother passed away at the age of 42. Her life turned upside down. Devastated, she did her best to "feel the pain, but not stay there and put her big girl panties on." And right as she began to heal, she heard those words,: You Have Breast Cancer.
Tune in to hear the rest of Molly's story, and listen as she shares how she "put her big girl panties on" and found the GOOD that comes out of her diagnosis.

I have more passion to live.

7 years after losing her father to cancer, Alicia found herself sitting with her Oncologist talking through her treatment options for breast cancer. She and her husband had just returned from their honeymoon and they were both in the best shape of their lives. She admits the wedding had a lot to do with that.

It was the day before Thanksgiving in 2018, at the young age of 36, when she heard the news that would change her life forever. She and her husband were planning for a family at any minute. Everything stopped. That holiday weekend surrounded by family and food, they were both able to process the news and armor up for what would be a year of treatment and a few more years of waiting to even try to become parents.

Tune in to Alicia’s incredible story of living life day by day. Let her remind you not to worry about the small stuff, and that it’s ok if people aren’t there for you. Her breast cancer diagnosis brought many great things. She found out who her real friends were, how to fight no matter what, and how to be the best version of yourself.

You are tougher than you think.

Maureen was a new mom with big dreams with her new born daughter. She was struggling with her new role more than she was expecting. Nothing was going as “planned” from birth to breastfeeding to the simple pleasure of enjoying motherhood. Was something wrong?

9 months after giving birth, she found a lump on her breast. She was sure it was nothing. She was healthy, young only 34 years old, there is no way this was a concern. She was an avid marathon runner, CrossFitter and had healthy habits. So, the day she went in for her Mammogram she was sure to come out of it just fine.

3 appointments later, she heard the words, You have breast cancer. Take a listen in on her incredible story of motherhood and breast cancer. How to win at both and how both experience have given her the ultimate life lesson, that everything is temporary. Enjoy the good and know the bad doesn’t last forever.

The GOOD that comes from being diagnosed with Breast Cancer?!

How does that even make sense? Isn’t it an oxymoron?

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Our Behind the Bra Podcast is entering its second season and this time it’s all about the GOOD things that a breast cancer diagnosis can lead to. It’s so easy to get overwhelmed by all the challenges and heartache that breast cancer brings, which is why, in season two, we are inviting back a few of our guests from season one to come talk about the GOOD they have found in the struggles they have gone through.

I’ll be kicking off this first episode by sharing my experiences with breast cancer. I was only 29 when my best friend Cecy was diagnosed. She was 26, and was initially denied screening because of her age. I took my fear, pain, and anger, and I channeled it towards something bigger. Something that would eventually become Barbells for Boobs. Years later, while I was helping women every day through this organization, my sister Jenny was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer and later passed away in April 2018. Finding the good in this seemed impossible at the time. But our amazing community let me know that good was possible.

That is the goal with this second season: The Good Series. The goal is for survivors and co-survivors to share their stories and bring a light of hope to women early in their breast cancer journey. We want you to know that you are not alone in your fear and in your pain. And we also want you to know that there will be good that comes out of this – even if you can’t see it right now.

Join us each week as survivors share their stories of how breast cancer positively impacted their lives. And help us bring hope to those who are just beginning their breast cancer journey.

“Don’t let fear hold you back” were six words Kelsey Hackem would have never thought she would be saying after being diagnosed with breast cancer at 30 years old. Her life in Columbus, Ohio was simple and beautiful. She belonged to an awesome CrossFit community, was practicing law at a non-profit, and was in a great relationship. She never imagined that going in for her annual check up would be the day that changed her life.

Kelsey considers herself lucky, that despite her young age, she was still insisted by her midwife to get a lump checked out that was felt during her clinical breast exam. She never considered anything would come of it.

Listen in on how Kelsey did not let her breast cancer diagnosis stop her from training through treatment, moving across the country and becoming an avid cyclist, and how she reminds us the importance of advocating for yourself. Her story will be sure to inspire you to “not let fear hold you back!”