Strength in Every Scar
Dana Swanson of Neenah, Wisconsin, was just 37 years old when she received her breast cancer diagnosis, only three months after giving birth to her son. “I was terrified, overwhelmed, and oddly relieved,” she says. “Finally knowing what it was meant I could start fighting.”
Dana’s diagnosis was genetic: BRCA1 and ATM mutations led to triple-negative breast cancer, Stage 2. Her treatment was intense—six months of chemotherapy, a double mastectomy, hysterectomy, DIEP flap reconstruction, and multiple other surgeries due to complications. Unfortunately, the physical toll didn’t stop there. She faced a severe allergic reaction to chemo, chronic fevers from immunotherapy, COVID & even pulmonary embolisms. “I spent an entire year with my chest mangled after losing my expanders due to a rare infection which ultimately delayed my reconstruction,” she shares. “It was a long, trying road.”
Despite the hardships, Dana found strength in her tribe. Friends shaved their heads with her. Her husband’s employer helped him work closer to home. Her church and community rallied with gifts, support, and even a benefit organized by her closest friends. “I knew my people would show up, but the way they did blew me away.”
Breast cancer changed Dana’s perspective on life. “I used to worry about everything. Now I live each day to the fullest and brush off the bad.” It also reshaped her identity. “Cancer strips you of your hair, your breasts, your body, your femininity. You look in the mirror and barely recognize yourself. But slowly, it comes back.”
Confidence, for Dana, is now rooted in self-care. “You can’t pour from an empty cup. I’ve learned to take time for myself, get my hair done, go thrifting with my kids, sing at the top of our lungs. That’s how I nurture my spirit.”
Her decision to join the boudoir-style portrait campaign was deeply personal. “It’s important to show that beauty still exists in breast cancer. Life is beautiful. Our bodies are still beautiful.”
Dana recently started a breast cancer support group in the Fox Valley to connect other young women going through similar journeys. “It’s been one of the best things I’ve ever done. Getting to connect with these women helps me as much as it helps them.”
Her message to those newly diagnosed is one of hope and honesty: “Take a deep breath. It’s all so overwhelming at first, but once treatment starts, the anxiety starts to lift. It’s important to stay positive, but let yourself feel everything—anger, sadness, fear. It’s all part of the journey.”
She also wants to raise awareness about the genetic aspect of breast cancer. “Because I knew I carried the BRCA1 gene, I pushed for further testing. I truly believe that knowledge saved my life.”