Breast cancer survivor back to triathlons
Triple-negative breast cancer survivor: MD Anderson inspired me to resume triathlons
November 07, 2025
Medically Reviewed | Last reviewed by Oluchi Oke, M.D., on November 07, 2025
Before I retired from teaching in May 2014, I was very active as a soccer and volleyball coach. I’d do push-up competitions alongside my junior high students and join them on the court or field as they practiced, then rollerblade or play recreational adult league soccer afterward. I did six or seven sprint triathlons, too, over the years, which have shorter distances than the regular ones.
Then I injured my right arm somehow, and suddenly, I couldn’t open doors anymore or even grip a steering wheel. The doctor said I had an atrophied nerve and a bulging disc. I lost the use of my triceps on that side for a while. The only thing I could still do was walk. So, I kept on coaching, but didn't return to recreational sports.
After finishing treatment for triple-negative breast cancer in 2022, though, I joined the Active Living After Cancer (ALAC) program at MD Anderson. It inspired me so much that I got back into sprint triathlons. I completed my first one in 15 or 20 years on Aug. 31, 2025. I also placed first in my division.
My triple-negative breast cancer diagnosis
I found out that I had breast cancer through a routine screening exam. It was the fall of 2020, not long after the COVID-19 pandemic started. I was so worried about getting sick that I almost cancelled my annual well-woman exam.
I’m really glad now that I didn’t. I have dense breast tissue and have had multiple cysts, so most of time, I need an ultrasound instead of a mammogram. This time, though, the technician saw something suspicious in my left breast. So, I needed a diagnostic mammogram, too, as well as an ultrasound and a breast biopsy.
When the results came back, the diagnosis was stage II triple-negative breast cancer.
My triple-negative breast cancer treatment
I knew nothing about breast cancer before my diagnosis, much less triple-negative. So, I didn’t know what to expect. I’ve since learned that triple-negative lacks all three proteins on the surface of the cancer cells that make targeted therapy a good option. So, my breast medical oncologist, Dr. Oluchi Oke, recommended a clinical trial called ARTEMIS instead.
The ARTEMIS clinical trial was exclusively for patients like me, with triple-negative breast cancer. If I joined it, I’d start out with chemotherapy to see how the cancer reacted. If it responded well, I’d continue chemotherapy, then have surgery and radiation therapy. If it didn’t, we’d look at other options. I wanted to do whatever I could to help other people. So, I joined the trial.
Fortunately, the cancer responded well to chemotherapy. I completed several rounds of it and had a mastectomy, followed by radiation. I had my other breast removed, too, as a precaution, because genetic testing revealed that I carry the PALB-2 mutation, which significantly increases my chances of developing breast cancer again. I’ve been cancer-free ever since.
Why I got back into sprint triathlons
I still have some neuropathy in my feet today, which affects my balance. And my left arm is not as strong as the other one, so it cramps up quite a bit. But I wanted to set a good example for my kids. So, I started training again. I am so proud of myself, now that I did.
I babied myself a lot after finishing cancer treatment. The fatigue from that is real. So, I would go, “Oh, I’m tired,” and never really push myself. But ALAC holds you accountable. It was very instrumental in getting me back into physical activity. The counselors there meet you wherever you are and give you a lot of encouragement. I’m pretty competitive and goal-driven anyway, so it really didn’t take much to get me moving.
I was the only person in my age group at the recent sprint triathlon. But I was also the oldest woman there. So, just showing up and finishing was an achievement. Many times, I wanted to quit. But I know now that I can do it. You can do more than think you can. So, I’m going to do keep right on doing it. In fact, I plan to do it again next year. And, I’m going to improve my time, too!
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Mickey Miller
You can do more than think you can.
Mickey Miller
Survivor