I’m Lindzey Schaffer and I’m currently battling stage 4 breast cancer.

Growing up, I have always been myself. I’ve never changed who I was to fit into a specific crowd. My days consisted of waking up, going to school, then to the skatepark, sleeping and doing it all again. 

I LIVED at the skatepark and most of my true friends were the guys from the skatepark. 

Everyone labeled me a “tom boy” at that time. Some girls at school would make fun of me for “dressing like a boy” and I was often mistaken for a boy when I was out with my family. 

My happy place was the skatepark–where everyone knew I was a girl and I had no issues with me being my true self. I couldn’t imagine living in a world where I couldn’t skateboard or be a part of the skate community, the space and people that have always accepted me wholly.

Fast forward to 2018…

MY BREAST CANCER WARNING SIGNS

For two years, beginning in 2018, I was in and out of every type of doctor’s appointment you could think of. Doctors could not figure out what was wrong with my health, but I knew something wasn’t right. They eventually chalked my symptoms up to anxiety. I knew anxiety wasn’t making me sick but I had exhausted all of my options.

Soon after, I planned a snowboarding trip to Colorado in 2020. It was on that trip that I took a spill and my body couldn’t recover from the fall. This was super unusual for me, I have been skateboarding my whole life. But I had severe bone pain that wouldn’t let up.

RECEIVING MY STAGE 4 BREAST CANCER DIAGNOSIS

When I got back home to Atlanta the pain was so unbearable, I couldn’t walk. My partner Taylor drove me to the emergency room, and they scanned my body for broken bones. 

The results showed that there was cancer all over my bones–my spine, pelvis and ribs. How was this possible?

The hospital immediately ordered detailed scans and saw that the cancer originated in the breast and had spread to my bones.

I was diagnosed at the hospital with stage 4 breast cancer. I was 29. My mom fainted hearing my diagnosis. I will never forget that day.

The cancer started to affect my ability to walk. I couldn’t walk for MONTHS. I was devastated for multiple reasons, but no walking meant definitely no skateboarding.

I stayed strong though, and chose to fight–even when the doctor informed me that they would be surprised if I lived six months from that day.

ADVICE FOR BATTLING BREAST CANCER

Here’s advice I would give to anyone out there battling breast cancer, or who is lost having received a breast cancer diagnosis. Use your diagnosis as a chance to start fresh. The new you. 

Rid your life of toxins, don’t waste time letting cancer hold you back. Surround yourself with people you love. Start healthy eating habits, work out, cut alcohol, clear your mind and get on the right path. 

Every single day is a chance to be the best version of yourself. Let cancer be the turning point in life that you needed to get on track.

That’s what I did. The doctor had a very serious conversation with us about my health. And I decided at that very moment, I could let this cancer take over my body or fight back with everything I have in me and never give up. 

I chose to fight. 

My whole life I feel like I’ve battled to just be myself and be accepted in the world. Cancer is just another battle I must fight. 

In this battle, I’ve especially fought fatigue. Cancer causes major fatigue, and I can’t stress enough how much this affects my day-to-day life.. You can get a great night’s sleep and still wake up tired. It has been difficult to push past the feeling of being tired to accomplish my goals.

Difficult doesn’t mean impossible though, so for anyone reading this undergoing treatment too, get out there and “KEEP FIGHTING!”

STARTING SCHAF APPAREL, OUR STREETWEAR BRAND

That’s one of our slogans for the streetwear brand that I now own with my sister, Loren, called Schaf Apparel. We created the brand following my diagnosis–there was no better time to live our dreams of starting a streetwear company designed for everyone with the message of “Keep Fighting and always be yourself.”

My dream is to continue to grow the brand with my sister and spread awareness. I also want to open an indoor skatepark in Marietta, GA– Schaf Skatepark. I want to open a place where kids can come be themselves in a safe environment.

FINDING STRENGTH THROUGH REFLECTION

More than anything, through this experience I’ve learned that I am responsible for my healing and mindset. The oncologist and doctor can help in some ways, but I am in charge of my future. I’ve been able to dissect, study and pull my life apart to learn what is important. 

That’s how I put my mind to getting better, with my first goal of getting the cancer off my bones so I could function. 

After the doctors saw my bone progression, I was offered a double mastectomy to get the cancer out of my chest. 

MY AESTHETIC FLAT CLOSURE CHOICE

I had a few days to decide if I wanted to get breast implants or stay flat… 

Life is short. I don’t want to spend any of my time not being myself. I didn’t even need a few days to make the decision. I knew I wanted to be flat.  

I was excited to go flat and didn’t want to take on another surgery. Breast cancer had caused me so much sickness and pain, the last thing I wanted was implants. 

As an androgynous woman, it felt right to stay flat. I feel more like myself now, I love the way my clothes fit, and I’m grateful to be alive. 

I’m also grateful to laugh with my nephews, Rock (8), Duke (10) and Vince (16). I fight every day for these boys to show them that anything is possible. I hope they learn from my experience and I hope to encourage others to always be themselves and keep fighting, no matter what. 

Be kind and take care of yourself. 

Xoxo- Lindzey Schaffer

LINDZEY SCHAFFER

CONTRIBUTOR

I am battling stage 4 breast cancer. I have been in the skateboard and fashion design scene for many years. Both skateboarding and fashion have helped shape who I am today. I see every day as an opportunity to better myself and work towards getting healthy. I encourage others daily to "Keep Fighting" and work towards my quote "Don't waste time not being you, because you don't know how much time you have."

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