Believe… 
in laughter and lip gloss
Carrie Madrid
At the end of 2011, I rolled over in bed and felt like I had rolled onto a golf ball. I discovered two lumps on my left breast and then had my very first mammogram and biopsies, which confirmed breast cancer.
Oddly, I had complete peace about it. My motto became “laughter & lip gloss.” Twelve days later, I had a mastectomy and 28 lymph nodes removed, with six positive for cancer. This confirmed my Stage III diagnosis. I endured a harsh regimen of chemotherapy and five weeks of radiation. I continued to have multiple surgeries, including DIEP flap reconstruction and many revisions. The scariest part of all this was that while recovering from a 14-hour surgery, I developed a staph infection which caused me to be septic and fight for my life.
Thankfully, I recovered and went on to create The CARE Project, Inc. (TCP). TCP is a nonprofit organization that provides emotional AND financial support to male and female breast cancer patients within the Inland Empire of So Cal. I often say it is ironic that I hold the title Survivor now. Before cancer, I was simply surviving life; today, I am truly LIVING a life of purpose. Visit. www.thecareprojectinc.org if you need support.
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