My name is Maria DeRubeis, and it is an honor to share my story with you on this Brave Day. My hope is that, somewhere in my journey, you find strength, resilience, and the belief that you, too, can overcome the unimaginable.

This year marks 14 years since my diagnosis—a milestone that once felt like a distant dream. I am a survivor, but I am also so much more: a mother, a stepmom, a grandmother, a daughter, a sister, a friend. Cancer does not define me—I define myself.

Fourteen years ago, my life changed in an instant. When you hear the word “cancer,” time stops. Questions flood your mind: Why me? Can I fight this? Will I survive? At 48, I was diagnosed with Stage 2, Grade 3 Invasive Mammary Breast Cancer. I found the lump myself—just months after a clear mammogram. From that moment, the rollercoaster began: tests, biopsies, waiting in agony for results, and finally, the words that would alter everything: Carcinoma of the left breast.

The hardest part was telling my children. I put on my strongest face, promising I’d be okay—even when I wasn’t sure myself. But I knew one thing: I was not ready to leave this world. So, I put on my boxing gloves and stepped into the fight of my life.

March 1st marked the beginning: a lumpectomy, followed by six rounds of chemo and 22 rounds of radiation. The journey was brutal—excruciating bone pain, endless nausea, and the heartbreaking loss of my hair, lashes, and eyebrows. I grieved the life I once knew, but I also discovered a new strength, an unshakable will to live.

Cancer is a thief. It takes so much from us, but it also teaches. I learned to appreciate the smallest joys, to live boldly, to love deeply. I learned that while the battle is physical, it is also mental and emotional. And though I was surrounded by incredible family and friends, there were moments of solitude—tears shed in the shower so no one could hear, silent prayers whispered in the dark.

I have just one wish: That cancer would get cancer—and die.

So, let’s keep kicking ass. We may not be here for a long time, but we sure as hell are here for a good time. Let’s make it count. 💖