NORFOLK, Va. — In July 2021, Chelsie Hardin was just weeks away from her 29th birthday. But she hadn't made any big plans-- she was deeply focused on her career and enjoying life as a young professional.
Then, one summer day, everything changed.
“I’m just sitting on the couch. I'm chitchatting with my roommate. And I’m like, ‘Oh, I feel something weird.' And she’s like, 'oh, you’re probably just sitting strange.' And I’m like, 'I don’t know about that,'" Hardin said. "The next morning, I’m in the shower, and I’m like, ‘Oh, it’s still there.’ So, I texted my mom. And she’s like, ‘Call your doctor.'"
Given her age, doctors initially downplayed Hardin's concerns, suggesting it was likely just a cyst.
"And in my head, I was kind of like, ‘Oh no, I kind of felt something was wrong,'" she said.
Hardin's suspicion was right. Despite her insistence, it took nearly a month to get a mammogram due to her young age. But when the results came back, she said the situation quickly escalated.
“It’s, ‘Can we see you tomorrow for an ultrasound? Can we see you for a biopsy?’ And that’s when, even before I got the call, I felt like I knew that I had cancer because of my family history. I mean, all of the women on my mom’s side have had cancer-- my great-grandmother, my grandmother. Thankfully, my mom hasn’t. They’ve all gotten it later in life," Hardin said.
Despite the nagging suspicion that she had breast cancer, Hardin said the thought of an actual diagnosis was terrifying. Then, a pivotal moment came when she shared her fears with her dad.
"I remember after that mammogram… It was August 13… The day before my father's birthday, and I called him-- and I felt so bad calling him the day before his birthday-- and saying, 'Dad, I’m pretty sure I have cancer, and I don’t want to die,'" Hardin said.
"And he said, 'Baby, you’ve been so strong your whole life, and you’re not going to die, because I’m not going to lose another daughter,'" Hardin said, noting that she had one sister who died from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and an older sister who also passed away. "And I said, 'Okay, well, gloves on. Let’s go. We’re going to fight.'"
About a week later, Hardin was diagnosed with Stage 2 triple-negative invasive ductal carcinoma and scheduled for 16 rounds of chemotherapy. But her battle was only getting started.
“After my mastectomy, I became very, very sick. I went into the hospital, I was septic. I had a 104 fever for three weeks. And they could not figure out what was wrong," Hardin said. "And I was just pushing and pushing, and trying to advocate for myself, and nobody would listen. And I was definitely getting into a dark place in that time."
Hardin said it was then that a compassionate nurse in the ICU saw her struggle and gave her hope.
"She looked at my chart and realized they were giving me a broad-spectrum antibiotic. I’m allergic to several antibiotics," Hardin said. "And once she... got me off that, she got somebody to call my oncologist, got me out of the hospital, and I started getting better."
But after the physical fight came the emotional one. The reality of Hardin's experiences started to set in, making her reflect on how cancer had altered her life-- and her identity.
"You have a lot of support when you get diagnosed, typically. People join up around you. And they’re like, 'You’re going to do this. You’re going to do this.' But then, once you’re healthy, they’re like, 'Awesome, you’re healthy.' And they kind of back off," Hardin said. "I’ve been through an amputation… I lost all my hair. You know, the things that I was known for, where I felt like made me a woman for the longest time. What do I do? Who am I now?... How am I supposed to find somebody to date? How do I explain what I’ve been through?"
However, Hardin said she chose to not let cancer define her, finding strength in a support group called Here for the Girls. The nonprofit works to improve the lives of women diagnosed with breast cancer under age 51, and Hardin said the community became a lifeline for her.
"I was struggling to find that support again that I was missing and finding people that really understood what I was dealing with," Hardin said. "I ended up meeting this group of girls... it was a game changer because they saved me in so many ways. Like, I have a group of girls that I can really lean on, and I love them so dearly. And we chat with each other every day and support each other. And they showed me that I’m not jaded, but I have so much that I bring to the table. And I have so much I can do to help other women and that I still have a lot to live for."
Hardin said the group helped her embrace her new self and take new challenges in stride. Now, she hopes to encourage other people to confront their fears and fight for their health.
"Health conditions, whether it’s cancer or something else... they don’t care what age you are. Advocate for yourself," Hardin said. "It’s okay to have a bad day. And you got to find your tribe. Don’t be afraid to look for it. Do it scared and live every day to its fullest."
She is one of the 12 women featured in the Here for the Girls 2024 'A Calendar to Live By'. It shares the stories of survivors, provides breast health guidance, and offers advice to other young women newly diagnosed with breast cancer.