Madison mom and entrepreneur beats breast cancer— and has a message for women

In early 2019, just before the world was turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic, Danielle—a 48-year-old mother, parenting coach, and educator—received news that would dramatically change her life. She had breast cancer.

Listening to her body

Danielle had been diligent about her health and keeping up with her routine mammograms. But about six months after a clean scan, she noticed a lump near her armpit—not in her breast. “It just didn’t feel right,” she says.

Trusting her instincts, Danielle asked her sister-in-law, a breast surgeon, to examine the lump at a family gathering. The advice was to get it checked immediately, and this may have been the catalyst that saved Danielle’s life.

“It turned out to be cancer and I was devastated,” says Danielle. “But I was also hopeful because we found it really early.”

Lots of decisions to make

Danielle’s cancer was caught early at stage 1A. This meant it hadn’t spread beyond the lymph nodes in her armpit and it was highly treatable. So, Danielle had some important choices to make.

“It was a decision tree right from the start,” she said. “How do I choose my surgeon? What are the best treatment options for me? Should I get chemo or not? Do I push for an Oncotype test to evaluate if the cancer will reoccur? The questions just kept coming and I was overwhelmed.”

Support from her medical team

After much research, Danielle selected Atlantic Health breast surgeon Leah Gendler, MD, who removed the tumor and diseased tissue. Then, medical oncologist Ellen Early, MD crafted a personalized treatment plan to eliminate Danielle’s cancer, while supporting her recovery—physically, mentally, and emotionally. 

Beyond managing her cancer care, Danielle was also running a preschool, writing a parenting book, filming a TV pilot, and raising two daughters—then 13 and 18. “There was so much going on and I had to function at such a high level. It was the worst year of my life," she says.

“But my team was committed to helping me get through this and I am so grateful for them. Dr. Early reviewed my case with her colleagues to determine the best possible treatment plan. I was grateful to have such a skilled medical team behind me.”

Thriving in her next chapter

Danielle leaned on the support of her Atlantic Health team of doctors, nurses, navigators, psychological services, and radiologists.  Today she remains under the watchful eye of Dr. Early, who monitors her mammograms, ultrasounds, and MRIs closely. Danielle says each of these tests brings out her ‘scanxiety’ until the result come back with a clean bill of health.

Now in remission, with children who are full grown and a business that is booming, Danielle has become an advocate not only for parental empowerment—but for women’s health, too.

A message for women

Danielle says her story isn’t just about beating cancer. It’s about making sure women listen to their bodies, advocate for themselves, and ask for support. She’s a firm believer in what she affectionately calls the “cancer coupon,” which means giving yourself permission to ask for help, say no, and prioritize your health while going through treatment.

“If something feels wrong, don’t ignore it,” she urges. “Yes, it’s scary to get it checked out, but it’s scarier not to know what’s going on inside your body.”