San Francisco 49ers WAG and designer Kristin Juszczyk spoke about tragically losing her mother to breast cancer in an Instagram video.
Juszczyk’s mother passed away from the condition 12 years ago after her cancer came back ‘again and again.’
With Breast Cancer Awareness month approaching, Juszczyk made the video in partnership with innovative medicines company, Novartis. She recorded voice-over with old videos of her and her mother while narrating the story of her diagnosis and passing.
‘I never truly understood how serious my mom’s breast cancer diagnosis was until she passed away 12 years ago,’ she says in the reel.
‘Even as I saw her cancer come back again and again, I always thought was going to be okay.’
Juszczyk then added how she started educating herself on the condition more when she reached the age when her mother was diagnosed.
‘Once I turned 30, right around the time my mom was diagnosed, that’s when I really started to educate myself about breast cancer,’ she said.
The camera then cuts to Juszczyk talking about the importance of breast cancer advocacy.
‘It’s been important for me to share how this disease has impacted me in hopes that I can help someone else who’s in my shoes or someone who’s undergoing their own diagnosis,’ she said.
‘While knowing where to begin can definitely be overwhelming, I’d like to talk about understanding and managing the risk of cancer coming back.’
Even when diagnosed early, one in three survivors may experience their cancer coming back, per Juszczyk’s research. She added that her mom was one of those patients.
She then encouraged patients to talk to their doctors and figure out a plan for managing the risks.
‘I know that so many of us have felt the devastating effects of breast cancer,’ she continued. ‘Join me in learning how to help beat the odds.’
