In April 2015, a formidable lump emerged in Cortney’s left armpit, heralding the onset of something that she never imagined. At the tender age of 29, Cortney confronted stage 3 invasive ductal carcinoma. 

In the ensuing months a parallel struggle unraveled, as her twin sister Connie was asked to have an ultrasound. Connie faced the ominous revelation of two suspicious lumps in her left breast, diagnosed as stage 2 invasive ductal carcinoma. 

A genetic thread bound their destinies — both sisters were carriers of the insidious BRCA2 gene.

“I felt the weight of the diagnosis, the tears, and the anger,” Cortney recollects, recounting her journey. Amidst the torrent of emotions, chemotherapy became her ally — eight arduous rounds from July to December 2015, a visceral odyssey etched in resilience. In a serendipitous twist, Connie, with a different stage of the disease, dodged the recommendation for chemotherapy as part of her treatment plan.

A pivotal moment arrived in January 2016 when both sisters faced double mastectomies, an indelible mark in their shared odyssey. The trajectory of life, however, held unforeseen chapters.

Despite the prognosis of infertility post-chemo, a miraculous revelation unfolded for Cortney – pregnancy. “Avery, my little miracle, defied the odds,” Cortney declares with unwavering awe. And in March 2019, a second miracle, Harlow, graced their lives.

Yet, the narrative took a tragic turn in the summer of 2020, a lump on Cortney’s neck triggered a haunting sense of déjà vu. The cancer, insidious and unyielding, had metastasized to stage 4 “At 34, I confronted the harsh reality of metastatic breast cancer,” Cortney stared, capturing the depths of her battle.

The subsequent trajectory mirrored a chilling parallel in Connie’s life. August 2022 marked a two-year respite from cancer. A drug trial unraveling an unexpected twist. “A small tumor was found on my lung,” a revelation that resonates with the complexities of the sisters’ shared fate. Stage 4 metastatic breast cancer, an uninvited guest in Connie’s life at the age of 36.

Both sisters, now tethered by the rhythm of targeted therapy drugs, undergo the ritual of CT scans every three months, seeking the faintest glimmer of reprieve. A radical decision follows—hysterectomies to escape ovarian cancer, a testament to their unwavering determination.

“In the face of my diagnosis, our journey commenced,” Cortney reflects, acknowledging the silver lining in the storm. A poignant realization surfaces—without her diagnosis, Connie’s silent battle might have remained dormant, a ticking time bomb. 

The specter of genetics looms large—her children, bearers of a 50% chance of the BRCA2 gene. The uncertainty grips Cortney, contemplating the shadows that might haunt their future. “It doesn’t get easier; we just get stronger,” she affirms, encapsulating the ethos of resilience woven into their shared narrative. 

The undertone resonates — more research is needed to unravel the genetic intricacies of breast cancer.