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When Laura Candler found her first sign of breast cancer she had what she describes as on awakening.
"I just thought, what can I learn from this?" she said. "How can I grow from this experience?"
Learning and growing are a way of life for Candler, who spent 30 years teaching elementary school before retirement. One day in June 2025, she was working at her computer when she leaned in for a closer look at the monitor.
"I rested my right hand on the left side of my chest, right above my breast." she said. "And all of sudden I thought, "Wait a minute, what is this? Something was there. A lump."
An ultrasound led to a biopsy, and then a wait to find out if the lump was cause for concern. While pondering what this moment might be teaching her, Candler though about how to stay positive.
"I have a strong belief in the mind-body connection" she said. "And I thought the best to handle this is to keep a positive mindset and not let myself go into a dark place".
Candler resolved to bring more fun into her life. She bought a table tennis set to play with her husband, as they've done when they were first dating. She scheduled a Fourth of July visit with her daughter, excited to ride their bikes and see the fireworks.
It was on that visit that she got the call. It was cancer. Not wanting to spoil the festivities, she decided to keep that to herself for a while and focused on quality time with her girls.
"We had a great seat on a hillside closer to any fireworks we've ever seen" she said. "And I felt so much joy sitting there while those fireworks were just blasting over our heads. So I didn't tell my family until the day".
After an MRI confirmed shed need a mastectomy, Candler met with Elizabeth M. Sawyer, MD, and opted to have both breasts removed. She then met with Leif O. Nordberg, MD, to learn about her options for reconstructive surgery.
"I loved talking with them" she said, "and they both said they were glad to know that I was determined to stay positive because research shows that people who have a positive mindset have a greater chance of a positive outcome".
Candler also recalls her relief after meeting with her Breast Patient Navigator, Erin Champion, who helped her to keep her mind clear of needles worry.
"I had decided that I wasn't going to research anything before learning what I needed to know", Candler said. "So she handed me a book and said 'Here, I've marked everything that relates to you. You can ignore the rest of it".
That August, just weeks after finding the lump, Candler went into surgery for a double mastectomy. By November, she was undergoing daily radiation treatments she was undergoing daily radiation treatments. Despite the discomfort and relentless schedule, she felt thankful while looking up from the radiation table.
"There's a ceiling panel that makes it look like there are trees overhead and sunlight shining down on you" she said. "And that touched me so much. It's such a relaxing view, and i felt so much gratitude for the people who made it happen."
After turning 67 this summer, Candler is taking her positive outlook on the road. She's looking forward to a family reunion in Cape Cod in the fall, followed by a camping tour of New England as the leaves begin their dazzling autumn display. Then she'll be training for a summer trip to swim in the Mediterranean with her sister.
"It's not just about fun" she said. "Fun is important, but I always want to learn and grow and expand. I'm determined to take on new challenges at a time when many people might feel they are too old to do these things."
While a positive outlook may not be as easy for someone facing a tougher prognosis, Candler said, it can still help to lighten the load when things look bleak.
"We can't control what happens to us", she said, "but we can control how we approach it. And for me, breast cancer became a mostly positive experience because it was a catalyst for learning and growing in ways I really wanted to."
