KELLI'S STORY - Kelli Hart works for a major employer in area of Ozark Affiliate. At age 25 during a breast self-exam Kelli found a lump in 1 breast. That was Sept. 2008; Kelli saw her Gynocologist on Dec. 16, who suggested a mammogram.

The physician ordered imaging of the breast lump in Dec. 2008, thinking it was a simple fibroid adnoma. A breast specialist conducted a mammogram and ultrasound. Tough news came to Kelli and her husband on Christmas Eve. The ultrasound showed a suspicious looking hard casing around the lump. Kelli underwent a lumpectomy and had cells removed from her lymphnode. A biopsy confirmed breast cancer.

On New Year's Eve 2008, Kelli and her husband were told the cancer was in Stage 1 moving to Stage 2. The primary lump and cancerous cells were in close proximity to the front of one breast.

Kelli considered the options available to her. Having caught the cancer at an early stage, she weighed a long schedule of radiation treatment and a "wait and see" timeline with many more mammograms to monitor the breasts, versus a mastectomy and grueling rounds of chemotherapy.

Being diagnosed with cancer at such a young age, Kelli weighed her choices looking toward the future and the possibility of a reoccurance of the cancer. She chose a double mastectomy, reconstruction, and 5 months of grueling. Kelli started the steps in her decision on Jan 5, went to March 9, 2009 and finished last round in July 2009. Kelli lost all of her hair including her eyebrows, but chose to pencil on eyebrows, and proudly wore all kinds of hats! Instead of wigs, hats were her style! Often she went with a bandana and a hat. Kelli never thought how cold it could be with no hair. She said you don't think about that at the beginning. She was comforted throughout treatment with the help of her employer's women's resource center.

Kelli's big focus now is helping women to understand what is happening to them and their choices. She wants to give back like those who helped her so much through her tough decisions and days when she just didn't have energy but endured through surgery and chemotherapy. Even before diagnosis she has always participated in the Komen Race in her area, and last year when she was middle of chemotherapy and in so much pain, she still proudly participated in the Ozark Race. Kelli promotes advocacy and awareness for all women especially younger women. She never let her cancer diagnosis and treatment get her down and is fired up for the cause and search for a cure. She and her husband love sports, especially her favorite football team Pittsburg Steelers! Kelli is extremely excited to be an Honorary New Balance Team member. She wears her New Balance Pink Lace up for Cure shoes proudly !!!