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Breaking Breast Cancer Myths As A Young Survivor with Ashley Libby Diaz

Updated: 3 days ago

Finding Strength and Self-Advocacy: Ashley Libby Diaz’s Story of Early Breast Cancer Detection and Breaking Breast Cancer Myths.

Finding Strength and Self-Advocacy: Ashley Libby Diaz’s Story of Early Breast Cancer Detection and Breaking Breast Cancer Myths.


Despite being years younger than the typical screening age of 40, Ashley’s persistence made all the difference. Her journey illustrates just how vital self-awareness is: “If something doesn’t feel right, if there are changes…paying attention really matters,” she shares.


When it comes to breast cancer awareness, the conversation often centers on mammograms, pink ribbons, and stories of survival. But each journey is as unique as the person living it, and Ashley Libby Diaz’s story—featured on the Clear Voices of Hope Series for The Clear Pathways Program, powered by For The Love Of Cups with host Lisa Malia—is a testament to listening to one’s body, breaking myths, and empowering others.


A Cat Named Fred and the Gift of Awareness


Ashley’s path to diagnosis started, quite unexpectedly, with her beloved cat, Fred. One morning, Fred stepped on Ashley’s chest, causing a pain so sharp it jolted her awake. With a background in physical therapy, Ashley knew this wasn’t a normal reaction—a £20 cat shouldn’t cause a searing pain like that. This odd moment, paired with Ashley’s habit of vigilant self-exams, eventually led her to detect a lump in her breast at age 36.


Navigating Dense Breast Tissue and Diagnosis Barriers


The diagnostic process wasn’t straightforward. Ashley’s doctors initially offered a chest X-ray, then a mammogram—which came back completely normal. Like many women, Ashley has dense breast tissue, which can mask cancer on mammograms and sometimes delay diagnosis. Only after a follow-up ultrasound and, ultimately, a biopsy did she receive confirmation: invasive ductal carcinoma, stage one.


This experience highlights a common but under-discussed challenge: dense breast tissue not only makes cancer harder to detect with standard imaging, but is also a risk factor itself. As Lisa notes, “Dense breast tissue was not necessarily recognized as a compounded risk factor at the time of Ashley’s diagnosis.” Thankfully, awareness is growing, but Ashley’s story is a reminder to keep advocating for yourself—ask for additional imaging, trust your intuition, and make sure all concerns are thoroughly addressed.


Family History and the Mystery of Genetics


Ashley’s family history is steeped in cancer—her grandfathers battled pancreatic cancer and melanoma, her grandmother died of metastatic breast cancer, and both her parents have faced their own diagnoses. Genetic testing didn’t reveal the BRCA mutations commonly linked to breast and ovarian cancers. This uncertainty, shared by Lisa, reflects the reality for many families: "genetics don’t always give us an easy answer, but vigilance can still save lives."


Making Informed Choices in Treatment


After her stage one diagnosis, Ashley faced critical choices familiar to many breast cancer patients: lumpectomy, unilateral mastectomy, or bilateral mastectomy. Weighing her family history, dense breast tissue, and desire for peace of mind, Ashley chose a bilateral mastectomy. “I decided for me, I did not want to have to go in for MRIs every six months,” she explained. The decision-making process was deeply personal, aided by her medical background, support from healthcare professionals, and input from loved ones.


Advocacy, Healing, and Mental Health


A decade after her diagnosis, Ashley’s commitment to advocacy has only deepened. She has served on cancer-focused boards, supported friends through loss, and, more recently, launched a new company—Joni Health—in honor of her mother’s resilient spirit during her stage four ovarian cancer journey. Joni Health aims to support the emotional and mental health of cancer patients, caregivers, and survivors.


Ashley emphasizes that cancer care isn’t just about treating the body—it’s about supporting the mind and spirit. She hopes to offer accessible tools, starting with clothing designed to remind wearers to practice self-kindness, and will continue expanding resources and community support on her website, HiyaJoni.com.


Key Takeaways for Listeners and Readers


Ashley’s experience underlines the importance of self-exams, advocating for appropriate screening (especially if you have dense breast tissue or family history), and prioritizing mental health. Early detection and self-advocacy can change outcomes—and remembering that we never have to walk this journey alone makes all the difference.



Ashley Libby Diaz is the founder of Joni Health, a mission-driven brand empowering cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers with psych-inspired tools to protect and strengthen their mental health. A breast cancer survivor herself, Ashley is also an executive coach with 25+ years of healthcare experience, blending science, soul, and a whole lot of spunk to help people reclaim their agency and crush cancer on their own terms.


FOLLOW ASHLEY LIBBY DIAZ:



LEARN MORE About The Clear Pathways Program: https://www.breastdensitysummit.org/ 




FOLLOW LISA MALIA NORMAN:

 



For more real-life stories and reliable information, tune into the Clear Voices of Hope Series on YouTube —because every voice, and every journey, deserves to be heard.

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