Knowledge Is Power: Fight Breast Cancer with Awareness
- Miranda McKeon, a breast cancer survivor and former “Anne with an E” star, has joined women’s health startup BeSound as an advisor to promote breast cancer awareness and encourage regular screenings.
- McKeon, 24, was diagnosed with stage 3 hormone-positive breast cancer at just 19 years old. This type of cancer needs the hormones estrogen and/or progesterone to grow and thrive. To combat this, hormone therapy helps lower a patient’s estrogen levels, slowing the growth of the cancer or preventing it from returning.
- The medical community has a consensus that women between 45 and 54 have annual mammograms. However, an independent panel of experts called the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) says that women should start getting mammograms every other year at the age of 40, suggesting that this lowered the age for breast cancer screening could save 19% more lives.
- For women aged 55 and older, the American Cancer Society recommends getting a mammogram every other year. However, women in this age group who want added reassurance can still get annual mammograms.
- Women who have a strong family history of breast cancer, have dense breasts, have a genetic mutation known to increase the risk of breast cancer, such as a BRCA gene mutation, or a medical history, including chest radiation therapy before age 30, are considered at higher risk for breast cancer.
The content creator and former actress, who has since been declared cancer-free, told People in a recent interview, “I’ve always been vigilant about making sure that my friends are self-screening.
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“One of my key messages is being familiar with your body, getting to know what normal lumps and bumps you have and getting stuff checked out,” McKeon explains further.
“So I think my friends hear me talk about it 24/7.”
RELATED: SurvivorNet Brings Powerful Survivor Voices To The 2025 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium
We’re delighted to see McKeon continuing to take action to help others after her own health journey.
BeSound founder and CEO Bailey Renger also spoke with People, saying, “Miranda and I are here to say: your voice matters now.
“Having her on the team allows us to bring a real human perspective to the technology we’re building.”
BeSound prides itself for being a health tech company creating an AI-driven, radiation-free breast ultrasound screening solution focused on improving early detection, designed for women with denser breast composition.
Expert Breast Cancer Resources
- Bi-Annual Mammograms At Age 40 Now Recommended For Most Women, What The New Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines Mean For You
- Breast Cancer: Introduction to Prevention & Screening
- The Mammogram Debate: Should Women Start Breast Cancer Screening at 30?
- Black Women May Need To Start Breast Cancer Screening At 42, According To A New Study
- Tattoo Ink Can Complicate Breast Cancer Screenings; Here’s What You Need to Know About Detection and Screening
- Alcohol Can Increase the Risk of Developing Breast Cancer
Renger added, “We want to empower women to move past the ‘wait and see’ approach and demand clinical backing.
“It’s time we stop dismissing young women’s intuition and start giving them the tools to take control of their health journey.”
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Miranda’s Breast Cancer Journey Started at a Young Age
McKeon received her stage 3 breast cancer diagnosis at just 19 years old.
Stage three breast cancer typically refers to a relatively large tumor that may have invaded nearby skin or muscle tissue. It may also mean that lymph nodes near your breast and/or under your armpit are involved. In most cases, stage three breast cancers will need chemotherapy. If the cancer is also hormone receptor-positive, aggressive hormonal therapy may be offered as well.
WATCH: Understanding Stage 3 Breast Cancer
She recalled that a small lump in her breast—”the size of a jellybean”—was what first caught her attention.
“I stepped away into the bathroom. I peed, fixed my hair, and performed the classic boob scoop, a typical mid-party practice,” she wrote in an Instagram post.
“I brushed across a lump that was definitely not there before. It was the size of a jellybean but powerful enough to sink my stomach and set off emergency sirens in my head.”
After going to see her doctor about it, she underwent a mammogram, which screens for breast cancer. She also underwent a biopsy and an ultrasound. The tests confirmed her diagnosis of stage 3 hormone-positive breast cancer in June 2021. Interestingly, the young actress said she did not have a family history of the disease.
“I spent most of that time confused and scared, but mostly in shock,” she previously told Coping magazine. Most of us go through life believing that we are untouchable. It’s a crazy feeling when the spinner lands on you.”
After chemotherapy, she underwent a double mastectomy and reconstruction, followed by 25 rounds of radiation.
“I never would have anticipated that going through cancer treatment would feel like working five full-time jobs at once!” she said.
WATCH: When to consider a mastectomy?
A mastectomy is the removal of the entire breast during surgery. There are several factors to weigh when considering a mastectomy, such as whether breast-conserving surgery (or lumpectomy) is possible. Your doctor will evaluate the size and features of your tumor and your family history to make a recommendation.
In some cases, a double mastectomy is a viable treatment option. During this procedure, both breasts are removed to get rid of cancer. A double mastectomy may also be performed as a preventative measure for women who are at a very high risk of developing breast cancer.
Miranda’s Treatment Spawned Early Menopause
McKeon’s breast cancer is hormone-receptive, meaning it needs the hormones estrogen and/or progesterone to grow and thrive. To combat this, doctors may want to lower a patient’s estrogen levels to help slow the growth of the cancer or prevent it from returning.
The treatment McKeon is taking, Lupron (generic name leuprolide), is a hormone therapy shot that aims to reduce her estrogen levels so her cancer does not grow.
“This shot is what keeps me in medically induced menopause. What it does is quiet the ovaries…Lupron keeps them quiet like a little baby and lets the chemotherapy pass over without doing a ton of damage,” McKeon explained.
WATCH: Understanding hormone therapy for breast cancer.
Lupron (generic name leuprorelin) is a type of hormone therapy for breast cancer. It acts as an ovarian suppression drug that stops the ovaries from making the hormone estrogen.
Lupron is usually given by injection into a muscle once a month or every three to six months. The length of treatment varies, and your doctor can determine that information.
Some known side effects of Lupron may include tiredness or fatigue, hot flashes, spotting, and muscle or joint pain.
Hormone therapy is used for hormone receptor-positive cancers. When a tumor is “hormone receptor-positive,” it means tests reveal the cancer is positive for either the estrogen and/or progesterone receptor. Cancers of this type need estrogen and/or progesterone to grow.
Her treatment helped her reach remission, though she continues treatment to offset recurrence.
When to Screen for Breast Cancer
The medical community has a broad consensus that women should have annual mammograms between the ages of 45 and 54. However, an independent panel of experts called the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is saying that women should now start getting mammograms every other year at the age of 40, suggesting that this lowered age for breast cancer screening could save 19% more lives.
The American Cancer Society recommends getting a mammogram every other year for women 55 and older. However, women in this age group who want added reassurance can still get annual mammograms.
WATCH: Mammograms are still the best tool for detecting breast cancer.
Women with a strong family history of breast cancer, a genetic mutation known to increase the risk of breast cancer, such as a BRCA gene mutation, or a medical history, including chest radiation therapy before the age of 30, are considered at higher risk for breast cancer.
Experiencing menstruation at an early age (before 12) or having dense breasts can also put you into a high-risk category. If you are at a higher risk of developing breast cancer, you should begin screening earlier.
Regular Self-Exams Are Helpful In Between Mammograms
A self-breast exam is an easy way to monitor your breasts for abnormalities. It involves feeling the breast for swelling, bulging, or changes in the shape of the breast or nipple.
WATCH: How to perform a self-exam.
Checking for signs of redness, rashes, or discharge is also part of this exam. If anything is found that is concerning, you should contact your doctor. It’s important to note that self-exams should be done with regular mammograms.
Help Coping With a Breast Cancer Diagnosis
If you are facing a breast cancer diagnosis, your emotions are likely to run high, which is completely normal. Psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik says emotions are often fluid when coping with a diagnosis.
“The patient or person going through the stressful event should accept that emotions will be fluid. You may feel fine one day and then feel a massive wave of stress the next. It’s also important for those you look to for support, whether that’s a therapist, friends, and family, or both, to understand the fluidity of stress-related emotions,” Dr. Plutchik said.
WATCH: How to cope with complex and changing emotions.
If a stressful event affects how you think and feel, it may be time to seek mental health treatment. This could mean traditional talk therapy, medication, changing lifestyle habits (like exercise and diet), seeking a support group, or many other approaches.
SurvivorNet experts suggest that women who need a little extra help coping with a breast cancer diagnosis.
- Let your family and close friends know, and let them help. So many cancer survivors tell us they want and need support, but are often too preoccupied to make specific requests. Urge those close to you to jump in with whatever practical help they can offer.
- Keep a journal. It can be extremely cathartic to let those feelings loose on paper. Grab a pen and a nice journal and chronicle your thoughts throughout the day.
- Join a cancer support group. Groups in nearly every community offer opportunities to connect with others going through a similar journey. You’ll learn constructive insight from others who can tell you what to expect and how to stay strong on tough days.
- Consider seeing a therapist. Ask your doctor to refer you to a therapist so you can discuss your fears and concerns in a safe space. Often, vocalizing your thoughts and feelings rather than internalizing them can provide relief.
Questions To Ask Your Doctor
If you have a breast cancer screening coming up or have recently had one, you may have questions you want answered. SurvivorNet suggests the following questions to kickstart your conversation with your doctor.
- Do I have dense breasts?
- Do I need to undergo additional or more sensitive screening?
- How is my risk level being assessed?
- Will insurance cover additional screening if needed?
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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