Speaking Life and the Power of Positivity: Michelle’s Journey Through Breast Cancer
At just 26 years old, Michelle Raney is a vibrant young woman, navigating her life with optimism and energy. She had a blossoming career, a loving husband she had just married a year and a half prior, and a future full of promise. Her life was in full swing when an unexpected diagnosis changed everything.
“My name is Michelle Raney, and at 26 years old, I am victoriously battling stage three breast cancer. Before cancer entered my life, I was newly married to my amazing husband, enjoying our early 20s, traveling, starting my career, and simply living life to the fullest. Then, everything changed with one phone call. ‘It’s cancer,’ my doctor said, and my heart shattered.”
At 25, you don’t expect to hear the word ‘cancer.’ You’re supposed to be laughing with friends, dreaming about the future, and living freely. But life had different plans. I went from managing refined oil at British Petroleum to managing chemo appointments and hospital visits. Each day brought a new challenge, and it felt like the world was spinning faster than I could handle.
Surrounded by the loving support of my family and my faith, I began my battle with breast cancer. One that would last over a year and a half. I underwent chemotherapy and surgery, facing physical and emotional pain. On the days when I couldn’t walk, my husband was there to carry me, both literally and figuratively.
But from the very beginning, I made a choice: cancer would not define me. My family, especially my mother, reminded me not to claim cancer as my own. She told me that cancer was attacking my body, but I wasn’t going to let it win. That mindset carried me through the hardest days—when I lost my hair, when I couldn’t walk, when the pain was too much. I cried. I screamed. I was scared. But I kept going.
The team at the Proton Center was incredible. They treated me like family, advocating for me with my insurance, supporting me through every step, and even offering comfort on my hardest days.
When it came time to consider radiation, I knew proton therapy was the best choice for me. The reduced radiation exposure to my heart and lungs was critical—especially after chemo had already taken its toll. The team at the Proton Center was incredible. They treated me like family, advocating for me with my insurance, supporting me through every step, and even offering comfort on my hardest days.
Cancer is hard. It’s painful and exhausting. There were days when I didn’t want to fight anymore, when I thought, ‘How much more can I take?’ But then I’d think about my future, my husband, and the children I will have one day. That vision kept me going. I had to choose life. I had to believe that my body was stronger than cancer. And now, as I near the end of this journey, I’m grateful for every step because it’s made me stronger than I ever knew I could be.
To anyone facing a diagnosis, I know it’s terrifying. Your world feels like it’s falling apart. But I want to tell you this—you get to choose. Choose to fight, choose to live, and choose to speak life into your future. The journey isn’t easy, but it is worth it. You are stronger than cancer, and more resilient than you think.”
Michelle’s story is one of hope, resilience, and faith. She reminds us that in the face of life’s greatest challenges, we have the power to choose how we respond. Remaining steadfast in her faith and positive mindset, cancer would not define her future.