Natalie’s Story
When Natalie was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017, her life changed in an instant.
What began as a lump she discovered under her arm quickly became a whirlwind of appointments, treatments, and difficult decisions. By the time she received the call from her physician, the cancer had already spread to her lymph nodes.
"The rest of that day is still a blur," she recalls.
Over the next several years, Natalie endured chemotherapy, radiation, multiple surgeries, and a bilateral mastectomy. While treatment successfully addressed the cancer, survivorship brought its own set of challenges.
Like many survivors, Natalie discovered that healing doesn't end when treatment does.
The physical effects of cancer remain part of her daily life, including lymphedema and the lasting impacts of radiation. She has also had to navigate changes in how she feels about her body and the emotional trauma that can linger long after treatment is complete.
Through it all, her faith, her family, and a close circle of friends helped carry her forward.
One unexpected source of healing came through dragon boat paddling, where she found strength, movement, and community alongside other women who had experienced cancer themselves.
Natalie first discovered Be Well through a brochure she found during a visit with a Scripps counselor. From her very first class, she felt something she hadn't realized she needed.
"To be surrounded by women who shared a common experience helped me exhale," she says.
That sense of understanding continues to draw her back.
Over the years, Be Well has provided a space where she can move her body, manage anxiety, and connect with others who understand the unique challenges of survivorship. Whether through yoga, sound healing, or community events, she has found comfort in knowing she doesn't have to explain what she's been through.
One particularly memorable experience came during a sound healing class when she unexpectedly found herself lying beside two fellow survivors from her dragon boat team.
"I could feel the positive energy throughout the room," she remembers.
Today, Natalie views survivorship not as the end of a battle, but as an ongoing choice.
"The fight doesn't end when you're cancer free," she says.
For her, survivorship means beating the odds, continuing to thrive, and using her story to encourage others facing similar challenges.
Ultimately, she believes each survivor faces a choice: to live as a victim of what happened, or to embrace life as a thriver.
Natalie chooses to thrive.
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