In Sickness and in Health: A Young Woman's Breast Cancer Journey

In 2023, 33-year-old Natalia Socorro was thrust into an unexpected battle. As a wife, a school assistant principal and a mother to four children under the age of 6, she was used to controlled chaos. Now, she was facing an unfamiliar opponent — breast cancer.  

“I have one life. I want to live it to its entirety. I want to grow old with my husband. I want to meet my grandchildren. I want to leave a legacy for my community,” she says. 

Ms. Socorro had just stopped breastfeeding her youngest child “cold turkey” and was massaging her left breast when she felt a lump. She brushed it off as a normal postpartum change, such as a cyst or an infection. At her one-year checkup, however, what seemed like a routine visit turned into the life-altering diagnosis of breast cancer.

(Watch now: In 2023, Natalia Socorro – wife, school assistant principal and mother to four young children – was thrust into an unexpected battle: breast cancer.  But she wasn’t about to let it derail her positive outlook on life. Video by Alcyene de Almeida Rodrigues.)

From Diagnosis to Action

With her usual determination, she set off for her first appointment at Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute to meet breast surgical oncologist Gladys Giron, M.D. Accompanied by her mother, sister and husband, Ignacio, Ms. Socorro felt confident that the Institute — just a few miles from home — had the experts she needed while allowing her to stay where family and friends could best support her. 

She knew immediately she'd made the right choice. "The team always prioritized what I wanted as I went through the journey," she recalls.  

When the medical team proposed a surgery date, the family's reaction was tearful. The date conflicted with Ms. Socorro’s sister’s wedding. But Dr. Giron reassured them that the timing could be flexible. “She told us it didn’t need to be that exact date. It felt like they were seeing me as a whole person." 

Breast Cancer on the Rise in Younger Women

Approximately 10 percent of all new breast cancer diagnoses occur in women under 45, according to the American Cancer Society, and the incidence in younger women has been rising faster than in their older counterparts. While deaths from breast cancer have been declining, it is still the second-leading cause of cancer death in women (behind only lung cancer).  

Ms. Socorro wasn’t old enough to fit the screening guidelines recommended by the U.S. Preventive Task Force. The organization says that for women at average risk for breast cancer, screening, typically with mammography, should begin at age 40.  

Fortunately, she listened to her intuition and followed up with her doctor’s orders for further testing. It showed that Ms. Socorro had ER/PR-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer, a specific subtype of breast cancer characterized by the presence or absence of certain proteins that affect how the cancer grows and responds to treatment.  

Personalized Treatment

Her treatment included 16 rounds of chemotherapy to shrink the tumor before surgery, a bilateral mastectomy, 16 fractions (or treatments) of radiation therapy, and hormone therapy to help prevent the return of cancer. She is scheduled for reconstructive surgery in December. 

In addition to Dr. Giron, a multidisciplinary team was assembled that included medical oncologist Sara Garrido, M.D., and radiation oncologist Joseph Panoff, M.D. Together with their respective teams, they made sure that all aspects of Ms. Socorro’s treatment could be personalized. 

“We can have two patients with the exact same cancer, and they can have very different treatment,” Dr. Giron says. This is because many factors are taken into consideration, such as age, family history, overall health and medical history. In Ms. Socorro’s case, genetic testing showed no known mutations that put her at higher risk for breast cancer, and there was no history of cancer in her family. 

Exuding Joy Even During the Challenges

“Natalia is very poised. She exudes joy. She exudes positivity. Her mindset was not to put her head down and wonder if she was going to surpass this. Her mindset was, ‘How are we going to surpass this?’” Dr. Giron says. “I don’t think I remember a time when she wasn’t smiling, despite the difficulties.” 

The treatment was far from easy, Ms. Socorro admits, but with her strong faith, her St. John Neumann Catholic Church community, and her family, friends, co-workers and students, she was not alone. “My husband was my main caretaker. He wanted that role and no one was going to take it from him. We just let everyone into our house and our life. I started allowing people to love on me. Cancer is a long journey. It wasn’t just the two of us navigating everything.” 

Lessons for Her Children

Being a teacher before becoming a school principal also helped Ms. Socorro talk with her children Santiago, Cece, AJ and Bash about her illness. Without showing fear or concern, she read books to them, including This Much I Know, by Heather Barnard. A true story told through the eyes of a child whose mother is navigating breast cancer, the book encourages kids to share their feelings and ask questions during what is often a frightening and confusing time. 

“Cancer changes you,” she says. “It’s like a lightbulb goes off and you realize every single moment is a gift. When you say your vows, you say lots of things like richer and poorer, better or worse and in sickness and in health. But you think you are going to cash that in in your 80s or 90s. You don’t think you are going to cash that in seven years into your marriage.” 

Recently, Ms. Socorro and her husband held a 10-year vow renewal and this month she celebrates her 36^th birthday with her family by her side. “She has been really strong and she is a wonderful example for our kids,” her husband says. “They’ve learned how to meet adversity, and this is only going to make them more resilient. It has made us stronger, together, as a family.” 

The Perfect Storm

Ms. Socorro continues her maintenance treatment while discovering a new purpose — advocating for women’s health and leading fundraising efforts for cancer research. At home, as thunder rumbles in the distance, she paints a picture of contentment.

“The perfect day is when there’s a very bad thunderstorm outside but everyone is safe and we’re all cuddled together on the couch watching TV.” There’s room for everyone in this cozy scene, including Lemonlu, their St. Bernard, and Theo, their Doodle. 

VisitBaptistHealth.net/Mammoto learn more or schedule your breast cancer screening this Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Gladys Giron, M.D., breast surgical oncologist at Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute