Pregnant With Breast Cancer: Alicia’s Story and the Mission Behind Journi For Two
A breast cancer diagnosis is life-altering. Receiving one while pregnant adds a layer of complexity, fear, and urgency that few can truly understand. In 2021, Alicia was diagnosed with hormone positive breast cancer while pregnant with her daughter, Journi. What followed was a journey marked by self-advocacy, resilience, motherhood, and ultimately, the creation of a nonprofit dedicated to helping other women facing similar battles.
Today, Alicia is not only a survivor — she is the founder of Journi For Two, an organization supporting pregnant women and mothers navigating cancer.
A High-Risk Pregnancy and a Breast Cancer Diagnosis
When Alicia was diagnosed with hormone positive breast cancer in 2021, she was carrying her daughter. Because her pregnancy and diagnosis were considered high risk, she quickly learned that advocating for herself would be critical.
Her case was complex, and she was eventually dropped by her OB due to the risks involved. Determined to protect both her life and her baby’s, Alicia sought care outside of her city. After persistence and unwavering faith, she found a doctor willing to safely deliver her baby, along with a cancer surgeon and specialist team she describes as her “angels.”
During pregnancy, Alicia underwent a lumpectomy. Because her cancer required immediate treatment, she began chemotherapy in her third trimester. After giving birth, her treatment continued with additional chemotherapy, radiation, and another breast surgery.
It was a long road — one requiring prayer, patience, support, and relentless self-advocacy.
Recovery After Breast Cancer: More Than Physical Healing
For Alicia, recovery extended far beyond surgical healing.
After multiple breast surgeries, she experienced shifts not only in her body, but in her relationship with it. She learned that breast cancer recovery is as much emotional and mental as it is physical.
“It’s not about returning to who you were before,” she shares. “It’s about learning to love the new you — honoring the body that carried you through survival.”
She emphasizes the importance of protecting mental health, prioritizing self-care, and giving yourself grace. Healing means making space for who you are becoming.
The Power of Listening to Your Body
If there’s one lesson Alicia hopes her community takes from her story, it’s this: listen to your body.
Strength, she learned, does not always mean pushing through discomfort or staying silent. Sometimes strength looks like slowing down, asking hard questions, and speaking up when something doesn’t feel right.
“Speaking up and following my instincts changed the path of my journey,” she says. “It gave me the chance to still be here, watching my daughter grow.”
Her experience highlights an important reality: breast cancer during pregnancy can sometimes be misdiagnosed or overlooked. Early detection and trusting your instincts can be lifesaving.
Finding Comfort in AnaOno
Alicia first discovered AnaOno through another nonprofit, Previvor, during a photoshoot collaboration where she was gifted a bra.
“From the moment I put it on, I felt the difference,” she shares. “It was comfortable in a way that felt intentional.”
After breast surgery, comfort isn’t just about fabric — it’s about feeling supported, understood, and seen. AnaOno became part of her healing journey, offering thoughtfully designed bras for women post-surgery and during recovery.
The Heart Behind Journi For Two
Alicia’s nonprofit, Journi For Two, was born from her lived experience of being pregnant while fighting breast cancer.
Her daughter’s name, Journi, carries deep meaning. Throughout treatment, Alicia felt she was fighting for two lives — hers and her baby’s. There were moments of uncertainty when she didn’t know what the future would hold or if she would be present to watch her daughter grow.
That reality became the foundation for Journi For Two.
She created the organization to provide comfort, advocacy, and reassurance to mothers navigating cancer so they wouldn’t feel alone.
What Journi For Two Does
Journi For Two supports pregnant women and mothers facing cancer by meeting them exactly where they are.
Their mission centers around:
-
Emotional support
-
Advocacy and education
-
Helping women feel less alone during treatment and recovery
-
Providing thoughtfully curated care baskets
-
Hosting restorative retreats for rest and healing
-
Promoting early detection education
-
Offering access to radiation-free breast exams at events whenever possible
Alicia also incorporates her 20+ years in the beauty industry into the nonprofit’s care initiatives, helping women reconnect with themselves and feel beautiful during an overwhelming season of life.
In an incredible full-circle moment, Alicia later felt called to pursue nursing and now works on the same unit where she was once a patient.
Everything she does through Journi For Two is rooted in lived experience, compassion, and the belief that women deserve to feel supported in both body and spirit.
A Story of Advocacy, Motherhood, and Purpose
Alicia’s journey is a powerful reminder that even in the hardest seasons — pregnancy complications, chemotherapy, surgery, radiation — purpose can emerge.
Her story speaks to:
-
Breast cancer during pregnancy
-
Hormone positive breast cancer treatment
-
Self-advocacy in women’s healthcare
-
Emotional recovery after breast surgery
-
Supporting mothers with cancer
Through Journi For Two, Alicia is ensuring that other women walking this path feel seen, heard, and supported.
To learn more, support the mission, or attend an upcoming retreat or event, follow @journifortwo or reach out at info@journifortwo.org.
Because no mother fighting cancer should ever feel like she’s fighting alone.
