Rockford, Ill. – As Breast Cancer Awareness Month continues, a locally founded Facebook community is giving younger women a vital source of encouragement and practical help. The group, called “Breasties,” was created in 2019 by Ashley Rogers, Brittany Long and the late Melissa Stucky after each received a breast cancer diagnosis in their thirties.
Why a Separate Space Was Needed
Rogers and Long quickly realized that most public information about breast cancer focuses on women over 50. “The statistics are over the age of 50, and the concerns are different,” Rogers explained. Younger patients worry about staying at work, preserving fertility, caring for young children and managing childcare. Those issues are rarely addressed in mainstream support networks.
Building a Sisterhood
By sharing their own journeys, the founders have cultivated a sisterhood where members understand each other’s unique challenges. “Those ladies understand me like no one else does,” Long said. The group now counts nearly 250 women from the Rockford area, offering a daily forum for discussing diagnoses, treatment side effects, and the emotional highs and lows of living with cancer.
Facing Survivor’s Guilt
Long noted that survivor’s guilt can be especially painful when friends experience different outcomes. “It’s very tough when the people have the same diagnosis and the same treatment but don’t have the same outcome,” she said, underscoring the need for honest, compassionate dialogue.
Honoring a Founder
Melissa Stucky, who passed away from breast cancer in 2024, was the group’s original “biggest supporter.” Long and Rogers continue to honor her memory by keeping the page active and welcoming new members. “She would absolutely want us to keep this moving forward,” Long affirmed.
Hope and Growth
The founders hope the community prevents isolation and offers hope. “Our main hope is that other people don’t feel alone, that they feel supported and see hope on the other side,” Rogers said. They also host in‑person gatherings, which have grown to become some of the largest local meet‑ups for young women with breast cancer.
National Context
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, breast cancer remains the second‑most common cancer among women in the United States. While overall incidence rates have stabilized, younger women continue to experience rising diagnoses, making local support networks like Breasties increasingly essential.
Looking Ahead
Rogers and Long plan to expand outreach, encouraging more women in their thirties and early forties to join the conversation. By fostering a village of shared experience, the Breasties group aims to lessen the emotional burden of a disease that often feels isolating, especially for those navigating early‑career and family responsibilities.
For anyone in the Rockford area seeking a supportive community during their breast cancer journey, the Breasties Facebook page remains open and active.
Original reporting: WIFR Rockford News First (local) — read the source article.
