A young Vernon mother battling an aggressive form of breast cancer is proof that this is not just a seniors91裸聊视频� disease.

At just 37-years-old, with no family history of cancer, Kyli Steck is fighting the disease that even doctors didn91裸聊视频檛 believe was likely for the healthy, physically fit young woman.

But in fact, it all started five years ago when Steck found a lump in her right breast.

91裸聊视频淚t took a while for them to even check it,91裸聊视频� said Steck, who was stressed about the hard, marble-like lump and insisted on an ultrasound and a biopsy.

91裸聊视频淔inding a lump in your breast is a little nerve-racking.91裸聊视频�

While the results were negative, that first scare made Steck much more aware of the potential 91裸聊视频� resulting in regular self exams. And it91裸聊视频檚 those self exams that caught the next lump, five years later, this time on her left side.

91裸聊视频淚 thought, this was different, it91裸聊视频檚 not moving.91裸聊视频�

An ultrasound revealed that it was most likely a fibroadenoma but wanted to check it out further due to irregular borders. Yet a mammogram was denied.

91裸聊视频淚 requested and pushed but radiology said, 91裸聊视频榥o because of your age,91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� said Steck, who would later discover that she had aggressive invasive inductive carcinoma.

Her diagnosis was surreal.

91裸聊视频淎ll I heard was 91裸聊视频榓ggressive91裸聊视频� and 91裸聊视频榖reast cancer,91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� said the dental assistant, who has been off work since she got the news in early February.

Thanks to her vigilance, doctors told Steck: 91裸聊视频淏ecause you were on it I believe we caught it early.91裸聊视频�

Only then was she finally granted a mammogram, but it turned out to be useless.

91裸聊视频淣othing showed up. Our first line of defence that91裸聊视频檚 being pushed says there91裸聊视频檚 nothing there.91裸聊视频�

But when the surgeon wanted to perform a full mastectomy, Steck put on the brakes.

91裸聊视频淲hy would you put me through a mastectomy if I91裸聊视频檓 riddled,91裸聊视频� she questioned, as her thirst for knowledge grew deeper.

Chemotherapy and surgery seemed to be the only option, but Steck wanted to see if there was more.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 scary, it (chemotherapy) is poison,91裸聊视频� said Steck. 91裸聊视频淚 don91裸聊视频檛 want to put that in my system.

91裸聊视频淚 was holding out hope. I needed to check all my avenues.91裸聊视频�

After learning about the Hoxsey Bio Medical Center in Tijuana, the lure of a full analysis and alternative therapies piqued her interest. And a week after being in her surgeon91裸聊视频檚 office, Steck was in Tijuana. But the doctors there came to the same conclusion that surgery would be necessary (although she was given a tonic to help her through the process).

She returned home, got a second surgeon and learned that there was an urgency to treatment as she was in grade three (the highest of the breast cancer grades).

Her new surgeon explained: 91裸聊视频淚f you don91裸聊视频檛 do chemotherapy and you don91裸聊视频檛 take this as aggressively as it came on, I feel you91裸聊视频檙e not going to be here.91裸聊视频�

That was the game changer. Even her naturopath agreed that chemotherapy was the best option but was able to assist her in the process and educate her on it.

91裸聊视频淵ou91裸聊视频檙e taking yew bark,91裸聊视频� the naturopathic doctor confirmed of one of the alternative therapies she was using. 91裸聊视频淲ell that91裸聊视频檚 a main ingredient in chemotherapy.91裸聊视频�

Taxol, a chemotherapy drug used in cancer treatment, is isolated from the bark of the Pacific yew tree. But taking yew orally is poisonous.

So Steck is now undergoing treatment, which has resulted in the loss of her gorgeous blonde hair. But it has failed to dull her shine.

It has slowed her down 91裸聊视频� she91裸聊视频檚 only able to hit nine holes of golf, versus the 18 she used to. But after just two rounds of chemo, the lump in her breast had already shrunk. She knows the second half of treatment could be even harder on her, yet her smile remains as broad as ever.

To help Steck 91裸聊视频� a mother to 10-year-old Jakob and eight-year-old Isabelle 91裸聊视频� her partner of two years, Dennis Nickell, has been raising funds to take the financial pressure off, and has already generated more than $4,500. Friends have hosted bottle drives, and accounts are set up at both Chasers and Interior bottle depots where you can donate the money from your sorted empties.

A fundraiser is also in the works for . Featuring live music by the Noble Crew, the dinner and dance starts at 6 p.m. Tickets are $25. There will also be an online auction beginning May 21, where those at the event will have the chance to place the final bids on these and more items. For more information, search Kyli91裸聊视频檚 Fight on Facebook.

91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 so grateful and overwhelmed by the support, it91裸聊视频檚 shocking really,91裸聊视频� said Steck, with tears welling up in her eyes over the generosity of friends, family and complete strangers.

But even more than the support, Steck hopes her story raises greater awareness about the vital importance of self exams.

91裸聊视频淭he day of it being a seniors91裸聊视频� issue is gone,91裸聊视频� said Steck, a 1997 Fulton Secondary graduate.

91裸聊视频淲omen of all ages need to get to know their breasts, as funny as that sounds.91裸聊视频�