On August 19 2011: My Journey started. As I was wheeled back into the room after a lumpectomy from my right breast I didn't think I was going to hear the news that was waiting for me. My mother and sister walked into the room and gave me the bad news. All I could think of was how is this possible? I had a biopsy in May and the results were benign, it was suppose to be a fibroid. 

Me, Kristina Tolpa at age 27 from Amsterdam, NY has cancer.  At this point I felt that not only had my body failed me but so had my doctors. My sister and her best friend knew exactly what I was going to feel and think so before even coming out of the recovery room that day, they had made a few phone calls which led me to The Farber Center for Radiation Oncology.

The days that followed prior to coming to NYC and The Farber Center were the most excruciating days I have ever lived through. I visited the doctor who had performed my lumpectomy and learned nothing!! He did not touch any of my lymph nodes and didn't tell me much about this disease that I  just discovered I had. 

On August 23rd my sister, Marge and my best friend Anella, took the trip to NYC with me. My family and I had never been so nervous, nobody in our family had ever been diagnosed before. Walking through the doors of The Farber Center, I immediately took a large sigh of relief. I already knew that everything would be fine. 

My experience there only became better with time. At my first consultation, I was given a beautiful bamboo robe to change into not a hospital gown. As Dr. Spierer entered the room, she showed us all just the right amount of compassion, exactly what we needed at the time. After my examination we joined Dr. Spierer in her office where we sat in a living room type scene. I felt like we were four girlfriends chit chatting over some coffee, except the topic was my breast cancer diagnosis. Dr. Spierer had went over my diagnosis with me in terms I could understand. She explained that I was going to need more surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. I did not have a single question when I stood up off that chair, she had explained everything!!!!

I had already made up my mind in a pact with my sister, that I would definitely be getting both of my breasts removed. Dr. Spierer had put in a few phone calls and I had an appointment that day with two of the most wonderful surgeons!! On September 12th, I had a double mastectomy with DIEP flap reconstruction, where I had my extra stomach tissue removed to reconstruct both of my breast. Yes, I also had a tummy tuck, an added bonus. After recuperating from surgery, I went through sixteen chemotherapy sessions.

During my treatments, which took place in Albany much closer to home, Dr. Spierer introduced me to an organization called You Can Thrive which is run by a woman named Luana. I would go there once a week and receive holistic integrative therapy treatments such as accupuncture and reiki as well as consulting with a nutritionist. This place was fantastic! It takes a breast cancer survivor from surviving to thriving.