Cancer at a Young Age

“One day you’re a healthy 36-year-old with long hair, black mascara and low-rider jeans,” she said. “You’re going through the rhythms of life, going to work, going to dinner, hanging out with friends. And the next minute you’re Cancer Girl.

“It’s a hard thing to reconcile.”

Too Young for This: Facing Cancer Under 40.

“It changes your perspective on everything,” she said. “You think: ‘Wow, I could be dead next year. And there are so many things I haven’t done.’ ”