In September 1988, my grandmother, Mary, died of breast cancer. Three months later — three days after Christmas — my mom was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer at the age of 33. The next day, my dad wrote her a letter saying God told him they would have a son named Adam — my birth story  in the video below. Years later, in 1996, my aunt died of breast cancer. In 1997, my uncle died of pancreatic cancer. And in 2001, my mom was re-diagnosed with breast cancer.

When I was in high school, my mom arranged my very first doctor shadowing experience. One day after shadowing, I came home and said, “I want to be a surgeon.” She smiled and said, “Then you can perform surgery on me.” I replied, “By the time I’m a surgeon, you won’t need surgery." In a way, we were both right. My mom passed away in 2011 after a long battle with complications from her cancer treatment, and today, I’m a Breast Surgical Oncologist — a Breast Cancer Surgeon.

My mother was also a teacher — a woman who believed in the power of knowledge, empathy, and community. Her lessons didn’t end in the classroom; they live on through me.  Today, I carry her legacy forward by educating and coaching others, building spaces for healing and understanding, and curating programs that empower high school students to see medicine, resilience, and compassion in a new light.

And through Keynote Speaking, I share this story with audiences across the country — reminding others that purpose can be born from pain, and hope can be found in every chapter.