Facing breast cancer at 22: Shelby Bennoit shares her journey from diagnosis to cancer-free

At just 22 years old, Shelby Bennoit never imagined she would hear the words, "You have breast cancer."

Shortly after moving home from college, Shelby was standing in her pantry looking for a snack when she crossed her arms and felt a lump in her right breast. Within days, an ultrasound followed by a biopsy confirmed she had stage 2B triple-negative breast cancer - an aggressive and less common form of breast cancer that is especially rare in someone her age.

"When I first found the lump, I never saw this coming," said Shelby Bennoit, breast cancer survivor. "I was like, it has to be something else-hormonal changes, a cyst, anything but breast cancer, especially not having any family history. I just never saw this coming. I am the first person in my family to even get cancer."

Shelby's diagnosis required immediate and aggressive treatment.

In August 2024, Shelby began treatment under the care of Kristen Fernandez, MD, surgical director of Ascension Saint Agnes Breast Center, and a multidisciplinary team of specialists in oncology, infectious disease and endocrinology.

"Breast cancer in Shelby's age group is exceedingly rare," Fernandez said. "Under 25, it's less than 1%, often quoted as 0.1%."

Her treatment plan included 16 rounds of chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy every three weeks.

Throughout her journey, Shelby credits the Ascension Saint Agnes care team for supporting her clinically, emotionally and personally during some of the most difficult moments of her life.

"They did not give up on me," said Shelby. "They continued to instill hope in me and that I was going to be okay and I was going to make it through."

Shelby also leaned on the unwavering support of family and loved ones who stood beside her.

After completing treatment, Shelby underwent a double mastectomy. One week later, her pathology report showed negative lymph nodes and no residual cancer in the breast.

In February 2025 - just seven months after her diagnosis - Shelby was declared cancer-free.

"Shelby's nurse navigator and I were so excited to call with her final pathology results and we really wanted to see her face when we told her she was cancer-free," said Fernandez. "We called her using FaceTime and it turned out she was in the car with her family. Telling her the news was even more joyful than we expected."

Today, Shelby is sharing her story to raise awareness about breast cancer in young adults and recognize the care she received at Ascension Saint Agnes.

"I really try to live every day to the fullest and express my gratitude because through doing so, I am able to inspire other young women who might be going through similar things," said Shelby.

Click here to watch Shelby's patient testimonial video.

Patients with breast cancer receive personalized care from a dedicated team of specialists, with access to advanced treatments and compassionate support throughout their journey. Learn more about breast cancer care at Ascension Saint Agnes.