COLUMBIA, S.C. — Jania Conelly never imagined, one year after graduating high school she would be in a battle with breast cancer. Unfortunately, she's familiar with the disease and the impact it can have on a family.
Jania's grandmother and two aunts were also diagnosed with breast cancer. That close family connection is the reason she started performing monthly self-breast exams at 16 years old.
She discovered the lump that would later be determined to be cancerous when she was 19 years old. Her treatment would include a double mastectomy and chemotherapy. She begins radiation treatments in November. Through it all, Jania says she's tried her best to remain positive.
Jania says losing her hair wasn't as devastating as she thought it would be. She laughs, when she talks about the fact that she looked so much like her dad after she lost her hair.
She says the most difficult part was losing her eyebrows because at that point she looked sick, and she never wanted to look sick.
Jania credits her family and her friends with keeping her motivated during the most difficult times. She's back in school with the long term goal of becoming an oncology nurse.
Health care experts agree that early detection is the key to saving your life when it comes to breast cancer. Talk with your doctor about your family history of cancer and the right time for you to begin your annual mammogram.
Be inspired by other breast cancer survivor's stories at wltx.com/buddy-call-19.