Mina Bonocore

Welcome to our CaringBridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. 

First let me start off with that I'm ok. 


February 15, 2017 is a date that has forever changed my life because it was the date that I was diagnosed with breast cancer. How could this be?  I'm 38 years young!  It all started with a lump in my left breast that was causing me some discomfort. My primary care doctor examined me and thought this should get some imaging. So, at 38, which is early, I went for my first ever mammogram. The findings were that the lump was just a cluster of three benign cysts and they recommended aspirating them. But it was at this point that I heard the word calcification for the first time. They informed me that they saw a very small calcification in my left breast and that this may be nothing at all but they wanted to keep a close watch on it. They recommended a mammogram every 6 months as aposed to every year. So I agreed and left there thinking nothing more about it.  At 6 months, I returned for my check up mammogram and now the dr informed me that the calcification had grown a bit and that they would recommend a biopsy. So I agreed and it was scheduled one week later. Then, another week later my mother and I went in for my results. You know, it was weird because I had a peace about me and weirdly enough was not surprised by the findings. They informed me that the biopsy came back positive for breast cancer. This was bad news but it was not horrible news and I will tell you why. They explained that My breast cancer was encapsulated in my duct. There are two distinct types on breast cancer, encapsulated and invasive. So that word encapsulated was music to our ears. They explained that now I would need to go speak with a breast surgeon and would need a lumpectomy to remove the cancer cells. Then, he would probably order weeks of radiation to follow. That is where I am at now on my journey and I will update you all along the way with my journal entries. 


But in closing, let me say this...My faith in God is being strengthened through this storm and I have a peace about me that knows I am going to be just fine. I am choosing to lean into His embrace. 


Thank you for taking the time to read my story and please, don't hesitate to ask me anything or reach out to me. I'm still Mina and I don't want to be treated differently just because of a medical diagnosis. 🌸💕


I also want to remind all of you ladies to please, do your self breast exams. No matter what age you are. And don't ever feel like you shouldn't point something out to your doctors. You know your body the best. At first, I was not happy with these cysts because they were there and they were uncomfortable. But honestly you guys, I'm grateful for these cysts now because they have been a blessing in disguise. Without them, I would have not gotten my mammogram at 38 and my cancer would not have been caught so early. As women, our routine mammograms are done at age 40. Two years is a long time to have left this undetected. In two years we could of been dealing with a whole other beast. So, I am grateful that God gave me these cysts because without them, I would have never known. I can't feel my breast cancer. There is no lump, no pain. Without the cysts, I would have never known.  Heavenly Father, thank you. 🙏🏻