Breast Cancer Survivor Leads Fight After 90% Survival Win

When Maria Velez learned she had breast cancer in 2022, she wasn't completely shocked. Her sisters had already faced the same diagnosis, and as an ultrasound technician with 17 years of experience, she understood the risks all too well.

What she couldn't predict was how much her life would change. Velez fought through surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, holding onto one powerful motivator: meeting her first grandchild.

"I had a very positive view of what I wanted and what I had to do to be able to see my grandchild grow up and have me around," she said. Her family carried her through the hardest days, reminding her why every treatment mattered.

The South Florida mom won her battle, but complications from treatment forced her to leave the sonography career she loved. That loss hit hard, but Velez refused to let it stop her from making a difference.

Her medical oncologist, Dr. Alejandra Perez, invited her to captain a team for the American Cancer Society. Velez said yes immediately, turning her pain into purpose by helping other women navigate the same journey.

The Bright Side

The progress in breast cancer treatment gives real reason for hope. Twenty years ago, only 60 to 65% of women survived the disease. Today, that number has soared past 90%, thanks to earlier detection and better treatments.

"In the last 20 years, we're curing more women," Dr. Perez explained. She knows the impact personally since her own mother beat breast cancer two years ago.

Doctors say catching cancer early makes all the difference. Dr. Perez urges every woman to know her lifetime risk and get screened regularly, because community support combined with early detection saves lives.

The American Cancer Society provides free transportation, lodging during treatment, and cancer support to help patients focus on healing instead of logistics. Velez now helps connect women to these resources, proving that survivors can become some of the most powerful advocates.

"When we say it takes a village, it does," Velez said, celebrating alongside fellow survivors and their families who gather to walk, share stories, and remind each other they're not alone in this fight.