Holding a wig in each hand, Sara Flores looks at her two-year-old daughter. The young girl, giggling and intently watching her mom get ready for work, enthusiastically points to the wig she wants her mother to wear.
Flores had her daughter May 16, 2022. The following year, in early July, she found a lump in her breast. On August 1, 2023, at 37 years old, Flores received her diagnosis: triple-positive breast cancer.
“I don’t (know) any people my age who have cancer,” Flores said. “It didn’t run in my family. I don’t carry the (BRCA) gene. There’s no real reason that they know of other than … they call it ‘environmental,’ why I have cancer.”
Every cancer treatment is unique. For Flores, it consisted of a six-week round of TCHP chemotherapy, followed by a double mastectomy. To completely eliminate any residual cancer cells, she is now undergoing fourteen rounds of KADCYLA chemotherapy accompanied by radiation every three weeks. Her treatment will be finished January 2nd.
For her mastectomy, Flores had to arrive at the hospital early. The procedure lasted about six hours.
Her general surgeon cut deep, beginning at the base of her armpit and slicing across the top of her chest. Three lymph nodes were removed. A plastic surgeon then placed expanders in the empty pocket created by the outer layer of skin. The foot-long incision was sealed with surgical glue, and she was discharged the next day.
Her daughter was only 20 pounds then, but the incision didn’t allow for any physical excursion. Flores couldn’t pick her up for eight weeks.
To help women throughout their cancer treatment, Fighting Pretty is a charity that works to create a community and provide support among survivors. Elliot Keifer and Clair Martyn brought the organization to DePaul University in January 2024, establishing the first Chicago-based college division.
“I learned about the organization and I felt like I really resonated with their mission,” Keifer said. “I thought it was a super awesome idea to implement on campus because it’s very doable for college students. It doesn’t cost money. It is very hands-on. You can directly see the impact that you are making.”
Fighting Pretty DePaul gained $1,000 through community donations and held its first packing party on May 3, 2024. The group put together 100 Strength and Beauty care packages, containing mini boxing gloves and lipstick to inspire women going through treatment, said Alyssa Gawlinski, president of the Fighting Pretty board of communications.
“We support women (who) are battling any type of cancer at any stage of their cancer battle,” Gawlinski said. “They could be diagnosed today or 10 years into their survivorship. We are a community here to empower them through their journey.”
After receiving her diagnosis, Flores heard about Fighting Pretty in passing. She had also received a pair of life-sized pink boxing gloves when she began her treatment from a family friend, similar to the signature fighting pretty keychain. Flores saw an event held in her local area on social media and contacted Gawlinski.
“I reached out to (Gawlinski) on a whim and said, ‘I would love to be more involved in the area and events like this,” Flores said. “I’m going through it. I’ve been through it. I would love to connect with other people in my area going through this.”
To receive KADCYLA, Flores had a port implanted under the skin above her right breast. With each round of chemotherapy, a needle punctures her skin and pumps the treatment into a catheter that distributes the medications throughout her bloodstream. Her daughter calls it her “button.”
“She’s too little to understand (right now),” Flores said. “Part of me is grateful for that but eventually, one day, I will talk to her about it when it’s appropriate. She’s going to need to understand the impact of me having cancer on, potentially, her health. It doesn’t mean she’s going to get it. But, because of my diagnosis, she should get tested much earlier. I want her to advocate for that so she stays healthy.”
Flores urges all women to be advocates for their own health. If anything ever doesn’t feel right, go to a doctor and trust that intuition, Flores said.
“It’s very easy to be like, ‘oh, it’s nothing,” Flores said. “When I found my lump, it wasn’t painful. It was just there. I could have let that go and that could have been detrimental. Did I want to go through chemo? Did I want to have surgery? Nobody chooses this path. I’m grateful that I have the option to do something about this, versus waiting too long and … that may not have been an option for me.”
Related Stories
- Campus Cookout: DePaul says ‘Welcome Black’ to students
- Candyality’s new owners, same nostalgic taste
- DePaul Students let the good times roll at Rooftop Retro Night
Stay informed with The DePaulia’s top stories,
delivered to your inbox every Monday.
