{"id":85393,"date":"2025-10-01T08:25:03","date_gmt":"2025-10-01T14:25:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=85393"},"modified":"2026-04-02T15:15:24","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T21:15:24","slug":"young-woman-24-newlywed-and-also-battling-breast-cancer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/young-woman-24-newlywed-and-also-battling-breast-cancer\/","title":{"rendered":"She was 24, a newlywed and also had to battle breast cancer"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>
\"Haley
Haley Shirley with her high school sweetheart, Braden Shirley, during a trip the couple took to Barbados. Braden and Haley’s family members have supported her as she endured a breast cancer diagnosis when she was only 24. Photo courtesy of Haley and Braden Shirley.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As a college athlete, Haley Shirley spent a lot of time on the sidelines as a cheerleader for her alma mater, the University of Kentucky Wildcats.<\/p>\n

In the years since, there\u2019s been a role reversal as Haley’s husband and family have become her biggest fans, supporting her as she went through a breast cancer diagnosis when she was only 24.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was hard to comprehend at first,\u201d said Haley’s husband Braden. \u201cWhy does someone so young, who does all the right things to take care of herself, get diagnosed with breast cancer? It was so difficult to wrap my brain around. But Haley never asked ‘Why,’ and she took this head-on with no hesitation or doubt that she was going to beat this diagnosis.\u201d<\/p>\n

A Pueblo native, Haley returned to her hometown \u2013 and her high school sweetheart, Braden \u2013 after college. A dental hygienist, Haley was planning a summer 2023 wedding. But in late December 2022, she had some pain in her right armpit.<\/p>\n

\"Haley
Haley and Braden Shirley were planning their wedding when Haley felt pain under her arm that soon turned into a lump. She was just 24 when she learned that she had breast cancer. Photo courtesy of Haley and Braden Shirley.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Haley wasn\u2019t too alarmed. During Haley’s annual OB-GYN visit a few months prior, her doctor performed a breast exam. But after Haley felt the pain in December, things progressed quickly. Within 24 hours, Haley felt a lump, and in the next few days, she received an ultrasound, a mammogram, an MRI and a biopsy.<\/a><\/p>\n

Then came the tough diagnosis. At only 24, Haley had stage 1 invasive ductal carcinoma IDC<\/a>, a type of breast cancer that has spread from the milk ducts to the breast tissue and surrounding lymph nodes. Her cancer was a \u201cgrade 3,\u201d meaning it was aggressive and apt to grow quickly; fortunately, it also was a type that responded well to treatment.<\/p>\n

Still, for Haley, an athlete who kayaks, swims and doesn\u2019t drink or smoke, the news was devastating.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t typically hear about young women getting breast cancer. I had no family history of it, and it was really shocking. After it sunk in though, I felt I wasn\u2019t going to let cancer take me, and I was going to do everything I could to fight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Breast cancer in young women like Haley
\n<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Breast cancer in young women is more tenacious and typically more dangerous than when it occurs later in life.\u00a0Women 45 and younger account<\/a>\u00a0for about 10% of new cases of breast cancer in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.<\/p>\n

Seventy-five percent of women who develop breast cancer, Haley included, have no family history of it. She was lucky she sought help early on, as typically, 40 is the age recommended by medical experts for a\u00a0baseline mammogram<\/a> (though women with a family history of breast cancer should speak to their doctor about whether to get one earlier).<\/p>\n

\"Haley
Haley was only 24 when she learned she had breast cancer. The support of her family, friends and her health care team helped Haley overcome the shock of being diagnosed with cancer as a young woman. Photos by Ryan Severance, UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Younger women have a higher mortality rate from breast cancer because it is usually not caught as early as women 40 and older who receive annual mammogram screenings. Also, breast cancer in younger women more commonly contains more aggressive biological features<\/a> than in older women, for reasons doctors are currently researching.<\/p>\n

While eating well, exercising and living a healthy lifestyle like Haley has always done are beneficial to reducing the risk of cancer, healthy habits do not guarantee that people will stave off cancer.<\/p>\n

In Haley’s case, it was helpful that Braden\u2019s mother was a nurse navigator and helped Haley negotiate her way through treatment decisions while helping her interpret test results and manage appointments, especially in the early days when she was still processing the news.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a learning curve with all the oncology and radiation terminology, and the process she needed to go through, but this was all happening while going quickly through the care. I went to all the appointments to try to help soak in all the information so that she could just focus on her fight,\u201d Braden said.<\/p>\n

\"Haley
Haley and Braden are fans of the Denver Broncos and got to attend a game in Ohio. Photo courtesy of Haley and Braden Shirley.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Chemo before her wedding; radiation treatment a few days after her wedding<\/strong><\/h2>\n

With the cancer diagnosis coming on the heels of 2022, Haley began the new year with chemotherapy.<\/p>\n

She continued to work her dental hygienist job throughout the ordeal, undergoing four rounds of chemo beginning in February 2023, followed by surgery in May, all at the UCHealth Cancer Care and Hematology Clinic \u2013 Cherry Creek<\/a>.<\/p>\n

During her chemo regimen, Braden and her parents would travel with her from Pueblo to Denver every Thursday for her treatment, returning later that day so she could rest and recover in time for work Monday morning.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wasn\u2019t going to stay home. It helped me to get through it by working. It took my mind off things and helped give me some normalcy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Using a cold cap<\/a> before and after chemo sessions helped preserve about 70% of Haley\u2019s hair. A cold cap fits on the head like a swimming cap and reduces the loss of hair by protecting follicles from chemo drugs. The hair she lost grew back curly like the rest, which she was happy about.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe cold cap wasn\u2019t fun, but I wanted to save my hair, and it did exactly what it was supposed to do,\u201d Haley said. \u201cI wasn\u2019t nauseous too much. The worst part was being emotionally drained, although being so young helped.\u201d<\/p>\n

While Haley was getting chemo, Braden was at her side to ease her discomfort when and where he could. That included providing plenty of blankets, books and snacks afterward so she could \u201cfocus on her fight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI never wanted to say, \u2018I knew what she was going through.\u2019 I didn’t. So, I became a good listener and would reinforce the things that made her more comfortable,” Braden said.<\/p>\n

Haley’s surgery later that spring entailed a lumpectomy and removal of surrounding lymph nodes.<\/p>\n

\"Haley
Haley and Braden pose for a photo with her family at the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. From left to right: Braden, Haley, Haley’s sister-in-law, Patience, her brother, Jordan, their parents, Robert and Deneen, her sister-in-law, Katie, and her brother, Derek. Photo courtesy of Haley and Braden Shirley.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Finally, with her chemo and surgery behind her, Haley and Braden married a few months later in August 2023 in Pueblo surrounded by friends and family.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a beautiful day and one that I will remember for my entire life, all thanks to Haley,\u201d Braden said. \u201cWhile she went through this fight, she still did all the planning for our wedding. She still says that not delaying the wedding from the original planned date was the best idea. It kept her mind off all the negative and gave her something to look forward to. Light at the end of the tunnel, if you will.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn the wedding day, she wore a wig, and if you did not know she went through chemotherapy, you would have no idea that was not her real hair. She is always beautiful, but to see her again with her full confidence on her wedding day will be a memory I cherish for the rest of my life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, Haley couldn\u2019t allow herself much time to rest and relax as a newlywed, since a few days later she began the first of 30 daily radiation treatments at UCHealth Cancer Center \u2013 Pueblo<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Radiation oncology entails using high-energy radiation to treat cancer after surgery to reduce the odds of cancer reappearing locally in the breast, surrounding tissue or lymph nodes, said Dr. Suraj Singh<\/a>, Haley\u2019s radiation oncologist. Aside from her skin getting a little \u201csunburned,\u2019\u2019 she used plenty of moisturizer and a stepped-up skincare regimen to counter any side effects of the radiation.<\/p>\n

\"Haley
Haley and Braden were married in August of 2023 in Pueblo soon after Haley learned she had breast cancer when she was only 24. Haley wore a wig for her wedding and continued her breast cancer treatments after their wedding, but she is doing well now. Photo courtesy of Haley and Braden Shirley.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cShe was fortunate to have a great support system and good guidance. She is doing so well now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Haley and Braden are hopeful about their future<\/strong><\/h2>\n

While the difficult physical aspects of her cancer treatment are over, Haley is still dealing with its aftermath and undergoes ultrasounds every six months.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s always stressful going into the doctor\u2019s office, but I\u2019ve already been through the worst of it, and this way, if anything is found, it will be early.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Photo
Photo courtesy of Haley and Braden Shirley.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Haley’s doctors credit her diligence and discipline for how well she has progressed.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s had a very good attitude about the situation, she\u2019s been a good advocate for herself, and she\u2019s always on top of her treatments and doing things on time,\u201d said Dr. Shin Yin Lee<\/a>, Haley\u2019s oncologist at UCHealth Cancer Care and Hematology Clinic \u2013 Memorial Hospital<\/a> Central in Colorado Springs.<\/p>\n

After Haley’s radiation treatments, she was on a regimen of drugs with the goal of reducing the odds of her cancer recurring. She concluded a year\u2019s worth of injections of a drug called Phesgo that targets a protein that promotes cancer cell growth.\u00a0 She also was taking hormone-suppressing medication, but she has tapered off those drugs as she doesn\u2019t want it to affect her fertility.<\/p>\n

Young women like Haley who have conquered cancer face additional stress and tough decisions when it comes to ongoing cancer treatment that includes hormone-suppressing medication, vs. them not wanting to put their fertility at risk.<\/p>\n

To that end, she is working with doctors at the Young Women\u2019s Breast Cancer Translational Program<\/a>\u00a0at the\u00a0Anschutz Medical Campus<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The program has been providing unique care to women 45 and younger with breast cancer, and conducting ground-breaking research since its inception in 2004, with a strong focus on living a full life after breast cancer.<\/p>\n

With help from her medical team, Haley is excited to continue a normal life.<\/p>\n

“Hopefully, we\u2019ll start a family soon. We\u2019ve been through a lot of obstacles, but we did it and now we are moving forward,\u2019\u2019 she said.<\/p>\n

The couple stays active playing golf, board games and hanging out with friends and family. At their young age, they have been tested by both luck and fate, yet have faith in each other and the future.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s important not to forget all of the good in life,\u201d Braden said, adding that he admires his wife\u2019s determination, strength and humor. \u201cIf you let the negative overcome your day-to-day life, you will forget to count your blessings along the way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Along with wanting other women her age to know the importance of preventative breast screening, Haley wants her peers to listen to their instincts.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy advice is not to wait for anyone else but yourself, because you know if something is wrong. If people say you\u2019re young or you\u2019re overreacting, don\u2019t listen to them. It didn\u2019t feel right to me, and I advocated for myself. It could happen to anyone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As a college athlete, Haley Shirley spent a lot of time on the sidelines as a cheerleader for her alma mater, the University of Kentucky Wildcats. In the years since, there\u2019s been a role reversal as Haley’s husband and family have become her biggest fans, supporting her as she went through a breast cancer diagnosis […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2357,"featured_media":85627,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[655,6835,4800,4801,28,3658,49,168,45,191,212],"class_list":["post-85393","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories","tag-breast-cancer","tag-breast-cancer-treatment","tag-breast-health-services","tag-breast-imaging-and-tests","tag-cancer-care-oncology","tag-cancer-support-and-nurse-navigators","tag-cancer-treatment","tag-chemotherapy","tag-mammography","tag-radiation-oncology","tag-womens-care"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nShe was 24, a newlywed and also battling breast cancer<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Breast cancer in young women is often aggressive. 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