Sisterhood Spotlight

You were diagnosed with stage 3 triple negative breast cancer when you were only 37 years old and had two young daughters. What was that experience like for you?

Hearing the words "you have cancer" was one of the worst moments of my life. I immediately thought of my daughters, who were six and two at the time, and my husband and what this diagnosis could mean for them. From the time of diagnosis, it took about two weeks to determine the severity of the disease and a treatment plan. I was so lucky to be surrounded by my mom, sisters, and husband while we figured out our future. It was two weeks full of tests, screens, doctors appointments, and holding our breath while we waited for more results. Of course, every scenario went through my mind. I was scared and really in disbelief. It was during those first two weeks that I started to see how I would have to say yes and accept help from those around me. I went through 8 rounds of dose-dense chemo, 7 surgeries including reconstruction and 25 rounds of radiation.

How did you and your family cope with the mental and emotional impact that your diagnosis had, and do you have any recommendations for others?

I feel very fortunate that this experience drew our family closer together. Everyone really circled the wagons and made selfless decisions to support me. Though that doesn't mean it was easy! One of the things that I've learned is that a cancer diagnosis can be a traumatic event. And treating it as such helped me process and cope with the emotional toll it took.

One of the best decisions we made was to wait until we had a prognosis before telling our children. Thankfully, the doctors advised though it would be a pretty rough 6-9 months, I would be able to move on from active treatment after that if all went as planned. With that in mind, we took our 6-year-old aside and used kid-friendly language to explain that mommy had a lump in her breast called cancer and it was going to take some pretty strong medicine to get rid of it. That meant she would be bald and not feeling well for a while. We knew that losing my hair would be the most outward sign of cancer. And that turned out to be true. I always recommend that people realize every cancer diagnosis and story is different and how people cope is different. Follow their lead, but also don't be afraid to step in with support.

During this experience, you came up with the concept for Lend Them A Helping Hand, Inc. Can you explain what this nonprofit is, how it works, and how many people you have been able to reach through it?

I was very lucky to have a lot of people who wanted to help me when I was going through treatment. But organizing that help was difficult and awkward, so we ended up just having a friend set up a meal train. It made me feel good to have their support and they felt good for being able to help, but there were other needs beyond just meals. I recognized this gap and started thinking about a way to help those in a time of need to organize help on any number of tasks and couldn't find anything like that in existence. During the pandemic I decided to make this idea a reality and Lend Them a Helping Hand, or LTAHH, was born. The platform is web-based and totally free! Anyone can create an account, then customize a help list with their specific requests. This allows their friends and supporters to view those requests and choose the most meaningful way to help. Since we launched the site in 2021, we've seen 100+ visitors a month and counting! We offer free informational cards for groups to distribute to get the word out about the site and are developing a presentation about the benefits of help during a time of need.

October is known as Breast Cancer Awareness Month as it commemorates the first organized awareness movement around Breast Cancer in the United States in 1985. What are some ways that you recognize Breast Cancer Awareness Month and what should Virginia’s Women+girls understand about Breast Cancer?

During October I take the opportunity to remind my friends that early detection saves lives. Schedule your mammogram if you’re 40+ or high risk and know your body! Be aware if something changes and speak up. Advocating for yourself is one of the best things you can do. I did and it saved my life. Here's a great resource about how to properly do a self-exam courtesy of VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center.

The simple fact is that back in 1985 talking about breast cancer was taboo and women didn’t know what the warning signs were. It’s because of the increased visibility and all those pink ribbons that we have had more research which has led to more effective treatments, screenings, and awareness about what to look for. Virginia's Women+girls should know that breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women and about 7,400 Virginian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year. Stats courtesy of Virginia Breast Cancer Foundation.

Since your recovery, you have become a strong advocate for women’s health; actively serving on numerous boards and committees relating to Cancer and Women’s wellbeing. What are some resources that others can use to educate themselves on Breast Cancer and are there preventative measures that women can take to lower their risk of diagnosis?

The biggest thing I speak about is the importance of women using their voices and speaking up about changes in their bodies they are uncomfortable with. This starts with having providers who you have a good relationship with and trust. It is ok to change providers if yours isn't a good fit. Setting up those relationships now will help you should something be wrong. It also means putting yourself first when it comes to your health. We are so often in a caregiver role for our children, partners, and families that it's easy to put our health on the backburner, but it's important not to. There is a link between an active lifestyle and a decreased risk of cancer. Maintaining a healthy body weight reduces the risk of certain cancers, including breast cancer. More on that and dietary guidelines that have been researched here. When it comes to prevention, there is a lot of misinformation. Always talk to your provider and look for research-based guidelines.

About Tara Daudani

Tara Daudani is the founder of a 501(c)3 nonprofit, a breast cancer survivor, women’s health advocate, freelance journalist, wife, and mother. 

On August 1, 2018, Tara Daudani was diagnosed with stage three triple negative breast cancer. From the moment her doctor looked her in the eyes and said she would get through this; she knew she wanted to help others live their best and healthiest life. Since then, she’s lobbied legislators, shared her story with the public, volunteered at advocacy events, and raised money for cancer research. She’s happy to say that she’s currently cancer-free!

Following her cancer treatment, Tara pivoted from her career as an Emmy award-winning TV journalist to founder and Executive Director of the nonprofit and health advocate. She currently serves as a member of VCU Massey Cancer Center’s Advisory Board and co-chairs the Women & Wellness committee where she created the “Play it Forward” ladies tennis tournament that benefits women’s cancer research at Massey. Daudani is also Vice-President of the board of directors for Virginia Breast Cancer Foundation.

She grew up in Northeast Ohio with her parents, three younger sisters, and extended family close by. After high school, she attended the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University and graduated Cum Laude with a double major in Broadcast Journalism and Psychology. After college she lived and worked in Albany, NY, Richmond, VA, Hartford, CT and New York City before returning to Richmond in 2012.

She, her husband, and two daughters still call Richmond, VA home, and in her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and dog, playing tennis and traveling.