For most teenage girls, breast cancer isn’t a typical topic of conversation or something on their mind.  This isn’t the case for AnnaMela.

Mary, AnnaMela’s mom, was diagnosed with breast cancer when AnnaMela was just a baby.  About 8 out of 10 women who get breast cancer do not have a family history of the disease. However, having a close relative (mother, sister, or daughter) with breast cancer almost doubles a woman’s risk.[1] Because of this, AnnaMela fully understands the importance of taking care of herself, annual mammograms, and early detection.

“I think about it on a daily basis, but it never really comes across to anyone my age to even think about something like this,” AnnaMela shares. “My mom having had breast cancer makes me aware of how real it is. Early detection saves lives.”

[1] http://www.cancer.org/cancer/breastcancer/detailedguide/breast-cancer-risk-factors