My name is Paula and I am a 12-year breast cancer survivor, and if anything, I think that my story shows that there is indeed hope and that early detection is the most important thing. I was diagnosed at 26. There is no family history of breast cancer, and it was a true shock to me, but what I found were amazingly wonderful people that helped me along the way. Your friends and family are just indispensable parties in the road to survivorship, but I am here.