“A few months after giving birth to my daughter, Aria, I was diagnosed with breast cancer and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma at age 34. My son Chase was 4 at the time. My first thought was, “Oh my gosh, does this mean my kids are now at a higher risk of getting these cancers?” My heart breaks when I think about it. Since my diagnosis in December 2016, I have had 5 biopsies, 6 scans, 2 surgeries, numerous appointments with 8 different specialists and have recently began radiation therapy. This was not how I imagined I would be spending my maternity leave! Eventually I made a decision to put Aria in a daycare as I couldn’t take care of her and myself. The mastectomy I had in February left me with a lot of tightness and a limited range of motion in my shoulder and I still can’t life Aria. I miss holding her. Like, really holding her tight and close to me. I miss wrestling with Chase. Sometimes I miss my kids even when they are right in front of me! Learning about Pink Pearl has been a blessing. It’s really nice to know that I am not the only woman in her 30s going through this. Through Pink Pearl, I have met others with similar experiences and now I don’t feel so isolated. Happy Mother’s Day to all the amazing moms out there!” – Maja Gavrilovic, Program Participant