Lindsey Finkelstein

When Lindsey was 22 years old, she was thinking about what most 22-year olds think about: Would she find a job after graduating from university? Would she get engaged? Married? Have children?

But in October of 2016, Lindsey's focus fundamentally changed when she was diagnosed with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. It started on a seemingly regular day, when Lindsey felt a tiny lump under her armpit after a Zumba class. The next day, the lump was gone. She would later find out that her oncologist found 7 other malignancies that he never felt. 6 months after feeling the initial lump, Lindsey saw what she thought was a beauty mark on her nipple. After feeling it, she realized it was a scab which fell off and started to bleed. She knew something wasn't right.

Lindsey went into "fight or flight mode" as she went through fertility treatments, IVM & IVF, a double mastectomy and 16 rounds of chemotherapy. In April, her mom was diagnosed. They would fight this together.

Using Instagram as a platform to share her journey in her words with family and friends, she made the bold choice to "have fun with cancer." Her chemo sessions were regularly filled with at least 10 people, often bringing in donuts, fun foods, clowns and laughter from Lindsey being silly with her bald head. "I could stay in bed but I will still have cancer or I can get out of bed and continue to live my life with cancer on the back burner... and I chose that way."

Today, Lindsey is happily & newly married. She is living her dream as a grade 3 teacher and believes in fulfilling her mission to empower, teach, give back and share her story to help others.