Breast Cancer Survivor Turns Tragedy into Purpose

Laura Renegar is no stranger to the impact cancer can have on a family. Her mother was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1985. Sadly, her mother would face two recurrences before passing away from the disease at the age of 61 in 1996.

Then in 2011, just days after having a routine screening mammogram, Laura was devastated to find a lump in her own breast. She was 46 years old.

"Was I surprised? Not really," Laura recalls. "Was I petrified? Yes, I was."

A cancer diagnosis

Laura went through a whirlwind of tests, including a diagnostic mammogram and breast ultrasound. Her care team discovered she had two tumors. One was found to be ductal carcinoma in situ, or DCIS, a non-invasive type that is easy to treat and often cured. The other was an invasive and aggressive type called triple-negative breast cancer, or TNBC

Additionally, since she has a significant family history of breast cancer, Laura decided to have genetic testing. Results showed that Laura had inherited the BRCA2 gene mutation. A BRCA gene mutation often leads to cancer in people who have the mutation.

Laura said these discoveries forced her to face several decisions, "one of them being, was I going to keep quiet, fight my battle, and heal? Or was I going to use my story to help other women?"

"I decided that helping other women was the most important thing I could do," she said.

In the years since her diagnosis, Laura has turned her journey into inspiration for thousands of women in the United States and beyond.

A movement begins

Laura first became involved with the American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer program in 2007. That year, she walked with a friend's team in memory of her mother. The following year, Laura invited friends and family members to join her Primax Pink Warriors Making Strides Against Breast Cancer team. About 50 people rallied together to support the breast cancer community and raise thousands of dollars.

With Laura's passion and leadership, that team has since grown to include hundreds of breast cancer survivors and their families. The Primax Pink Warriors team was the largest Making Strides team in the country in 2020 and 2021, both in number of participants and dollars raised. The team earned the inaugural Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Hero of Research Award after raising more than $178,000 in 2021. In the years since its creation, Laura's team has raised more than $1.6 million.

Supporting others through shared journeys

Laura started volunteering with the American Cancer Society Reach To Recovery program, now ACS CARES, mentoring and supporting hundreds of fellow breast cancer survivors.

"My involvement with the Reach To Recovery program over the years has been a tremendous gift, allowing me to be part of so many survivors' lives during their battle, and sometimes, being with them toward the end of their life here on earth," Laura said. "I cherish being invited by the family to be part of such a sacred time in their loved ones’ lives. Those moments, invested in those survivors and their families, have changed my life."

Breaking boundaries and spreading hope

Laura's dedication to ending cancer as we know it, for everyone, is not limited to her work in the U.S. In 2015, after suffering a post-surgery complication while on vacation in Jamaica, Laura saw the great need for breast care in that country.

"Where you live shouldn't determine if you live," she said.

Later that year, she and a friend founded Pink Smile Promise, a nonprofit organization that partners with the Jamaica Cancer Society. They provide breast and cervical cancer screening to underserved women in Ocho Rios, including mammograms and Pap smears.

A life of advocacy

Laura's drive to improve lives for people with cancer and their families led to her being recognized with a 2023 American Cancer Society's St. George National Award, given to volunteers who demonstrate continuous leadership, commitment, and dedication to furthering the ACS mission.

"Laura is the epitome of a bold volunteer. She advocates for all women facing a cancer diagnosis to share comfort, faith, and strength to overcome one's circumstances. She is truly an angel living amongst us," said Mel Toran, senior executive director for the American Cancer Society in Western North Carolina and South Carolina.

Today, Laura continues to advocate for other breast cancer survivors, promoting cancer screening tests and early detection.

"I cannot imagine what my life would be like had I not been diagnosed. It sounds crazy, but it's my reality," she said. "I believe that early detection and self-advocacy saved my life, and I know that it saves others' as well.”