My Cancer Journey: After the Diagnosis
- noelleallen
- Dec 2
- 3 min read
This past year has been one of the most challenging and transformative of my life. I am a mom, artist, teacher, and founder of Slowfire Ceramics and the Slowfire Art Foundation, and in July I was diagnosed with breast cancer. The experience reshaped how I view my body, my health, and the importance of community and creativity. I am sharing my story to raise awareness and support for the Slowfire Art Foundation, especially our growing programs for cancer survivors.
Diagnosis My diagnosis came after a routine mammogram. A radiologist called to tell me there were tumors in my left breast and a lymph node. My therapist, who had recently finished her own treatment, helped guide me through the early days as I waited for lab results. During a family vacation in late July, I learned that I had DCIS and hormone-positive breast cancer, the most common and treatable type.
Surgery and Recovery I met with a full care team and stepped away from teaching and daily responsibilities at Slowfire. Brie and the Slowfire staff (Alice, Fernanda, Metzli, Tyler, Veronica, Emily, Jane, Alouette, Salma, Steven, Amy, Belen and Priscilla) helped carry the work while I prepared for surgery. On August 6th, I had a bilateral mastectomy. Recovery was extremely painful, and I spent weeks sleeping in a recliner while my family cared for me and friends provided meals. Healing from a mastectomy truly takes six to eight weeks.
Chemotherapy We waited almost a month for pathology and oncotype results. My margins were clear and my score was low, but because of my age and lymph node involvement, Dr. Lo recommended chemotherapy. I completed four rounds of TC between September 15th and November 17th. Chemotherapy was brutal, with every side effect and even an allergic reaction. I tried cold capping, funded by a Chicago Bears grant, but still lost most of my hair. The hardest symptom was the overwhelming “out of body” sensation. My therapist shared grounding techniques, and I laughed when one suggestion was to play with clay because I had not touched clay since my diagnosis.
Healing Through Art Creating through pain became its own kind of medicine. During a good week between infusions, I organized a Halloween Haunted Open House with Alice through the Slowfire Art Foundation and raised about $500. It funded four free art workshops for cancer survivors, which filled almost immediately. I will be teaching one of them myself.
Why It Matters I do not have genetic mutations or common risk factors. I kept up with mammograms because my grandmother passed from breast cancer. I felt no lumps. A routine screening found my cancer. One in eight women will face this diagnosis. Cancer can be lonely and isolating, but meeting other women on the same path changed everything. It connected me with other survivors who have helped me feel seen and supported.
Join Me in Making Art for Healing The Slowfire Art Foundation exists to make art accessible to anyone navigating illness, loss, or recovery. The funds we raise support workshops, scholarships, and creative programs that offer art as a lifeline. Thank you for reading, for believing in the healing power of creativity, and for supporting me and the Slowfire community.
Noelle
Pictures below from our Haunted Halloween Open House
I was in the middle of chemotherapy here but felt so supported by my team and my family, especially my Mom, Tim (my husband), Alice (who helped me plan the whole thing!) and the Slowfire Arts Foundation Crew (Grace, Vince, Pem, Cathy, and Brie).
