Kate Zickel

I was diagnosed with stage three invasive ductal carcinoma on September 21, 2017. The good news is that It’s the most common and treatable type of breast cancer. The other good news is that I’m one of the fortunate ones with a huge group of wonderful people backing me up. My husband will tell you that my independent streak is not always to my credit, and asking for help is hard for me, but over the last several months, I’ve learned to accept love unconditionally from friends, family, even strangers. I’ve met some of the most amazing people along the way. I’m young, I’m tough and I’m competitive. Thanks to the excellent care I’ve received from Virginia Cancer Specialists and INOVA hospital, I’m going to be okay. I’m going to win.

In the words of John Paul Jones, “I have not yet begun to fight!”