Three women in their 30s. Three new moms. Three breast cancer diagnoses.
Rikki Mondo, Aliza Goldberg and Jessi Heymann didn’t know each other before breast cancer entered their lives. But their shared experiences — and similar treatment plans — would soon connect them in an unexpected way.
Diagnosed with breast cancer
Rikki found a lump one night in February, nine months after her second daughter Harlow was born. At first, she thought it might be related to breastfeeding. But after a biopsy, she received the news no new mother expects: stage one breast cancer.
Shortly after her double mastectomy, Rikki met Aliza.
“Aliza and I were destined to become friends,” says Rikki, who lived in Roscoe Village at the time, and coincidentally, down the street from Aliza. “It wasn’t until my wife Gina and my mom ran into Aliza and her wife Chelsea that we started texting.”
At the time, Aliza was waiting on her own biopsy results. Because she carries both the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations, she had been getting preventive screenings annually since age 25. After her son Cooper was born, she planned to have a preventative double mastectomy, but a suspicious spot on her final MRI revealed stage one breast cancer.
Meanwhile, Jessi discovered a lump while breastfeeding, six months after giving birth to her son, Brady. She initially assumed it was mastitis — or inflammation of the breast tissue — and stopped pumping. But when the pain persisted, she followed her instincts and went to see her gynecologist at a local hospital. Tests revealed stage one breast cancer.
“When I was first diagnosed, a friend introduced me to Aliza’s wife Chelsea, who shared helpful tips on post-mastectomy care and recovery,” says Jessi, who lives in River North with her husband, Danny. “She connected me with Aliza when she was preparing for surgery and chemo.”
Soon after, Aliza suggested Rikki meet Jessi, as Rikki was starting chemo soon and Jessi had started weeks before.
That’s when their friendship — and their group chat — truly began.
Showing up for each other
Each woman underwent a double mastectomy, reconstruction and chemotherapy with RUSH MD Anderson Cancer Center physicians, Ruta Rao, MD, Andrea Madrigrano, MD, and Deana Shenaq, MD.
“It’s just really nice to have people who understand what you’re going through,” Jessi says. “I know I can go to them with anything and they just get it.”
That understanding extended beyond text messages during treatment.
“Even though I hadn’t met Rikki or Jessi in person, Rikki and her wife Gina showed up with brownies like family, and Jessi came by with a breast cancer bracelet,” Aliza says. “These small gestures meant so much. They reminded me that none of us were in this alone.”
Rikki recalls one moment when that support made all the difference.
“When my hair started falling out, it was incredibly traumatic,” she says. “It wasn’t something I could easily talk about because no one truly understands what it’s like until it happens to them. I talked about it with Aliza and Jessi, and it was such a relief to have a safe space where I could be upset without having to protect anyone else’s feelings.”
Three moms, one shared strength
Beyond their diagnoses, the three women were also balancing treatment while working and raising babies and toddlers.
“When I had surgery, I couldn’t lift my son for six weeks,” Aliza says. “That’s not easy for any parent. The guilt of needing to rest when your child just wants to be with you is tough.”
For Jessi, motherhood during treatment brought both challenges and purpose.
“Even on my hardest days, Brady kept me going,” she says. “I had no choice but to feed him dinner, bathe him, play with him and comfort him when he cried. Being a mom is my No. 1 job — and focusing on that helped take my mind off everything else.”
Rikki agrees that her children gave her strength to keep moving forward.
“Going through breast cancer treatment while being a mom really puts everything in perspective,” she says. “It’s all worth it because one day I’ll be able to tell my girls how I did this — how I fought through it — so I could be here to watch them grow up.”
Grateful for the bond
While they agree that cancer can be isolating, they rarely ever felt that way.
“I think so much of that is because of Rikki and Jessi, as well as our incredible care team, family and friends,” Aliza says. “I feel genuinely lucky that this was my experience.”
For other young mothers going through breast cancer treatment, the trio shares this advice:
“Find your community, and then lean on them.”
For more information about breast cancer services at RUSH MD Anderson, visit us online. To schedule your mammogram, visit our breast imaging services page to find a location near you.
