Kristen Romanowski
In November 2022, Kristen Romanowski sat in an open field with her husband, three children, two best friends, a pair of sheers and an electric shaver. After deciding to no longer allow cancer to steal anything else from her, Kristen removed her hair with family and friends by her side.
During an annual visit with her OBGYN in June 2022, Kristen’s provider discovered a lump when performing a breast exam and instructed her to have a mammogram, which was followed by a biopsy. Nothing prepared her for the news to follow—at just 38 years old, Kristen became the one in 8 women who are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. The next two years included doctors’ appointments, chemotherapy, and 34 rounds of radiation.
Kristen is a mother to three children, ages 12, 8, and 5, a wife, a community advocate for all things that make a positive difference, and now as a breast cancer survivor – has become a beacon for other woman facing similar diagnoses.
Early into Kristen’s diagnosis, she knew very little about breast cancer and the impact it could have on one’s life both mentally and emotionally. During her treatment, an oncology social worker from Piedmont Athens Regional’s Loran Smith Center for Cancer Support reached out to see if she wanted to talk about her cancer journey. What followed that phone call was an inspiration for Kristen to take charge of her emotional healing and grief.
“I never wanted to know everything I do now, but it has given me all the inspiration to help others going through the same thing,” Kristen recently shared.
Kristen, along with her friend Jessica, a triple negative breast cancer survivor, is launching a young women’s breast cancer support group through the Loran Smith Center for Cancer Support. Through her personal journey, Kristen was empowered to support other young women fighting a similar battle—juggling a cancer diagnosis with a family, career, and their own womanhood.
Kristen recently celebrated her 40th birthday, which was different than she originally thought turning 40 would be; different from she used to think she would be at 40. “Some days I might be grieving the life I thought I was going to live, but I will never stop being so grateful that I made it to the other side of cancer.”