Lauren Norris was two weeks into chemotherapy when she first met Brittney Powell in 2023. Connected through a mutual friend, the two had a lot in common. They were both in their 30s, living near Atlanta, Georgia, married with children, and active in their church communities. Both had also recently received a surprising breast cancer diagnosis.
“From the first time we met, everything was so relatable,” remembered Powell. “I feel like we instantly connected.”
The two soon realized their shared experience went way beyond discussing diagnosis details and treatment options. As young moms, they felt there was very little support aimed at their demographic.
“There is so much in the world of resources for breast cancer patients, but it was alarming that none of it was for young moms,” Norris said. “There’s grants and different things to help pay for gas or lodging or whatever, but nothing in the way of helping young moms cope and get through breast cancer."
Now, two years post-diagnosis, the two are aiming to help fill that gap with Boobie Banter, a podcast they have developed to tell their stories and offer hope for young moms. Although most breast cancers are still found in women older than 45, rates among younger women have been steadily climbing over the past decade.
“I feel like young women get overlooked. Our goal is to get the word out there so that hopefully we can have more support for young moms and better screening for young women, because we matter. We’re not invisible,” Powell said.
Sharing the Journey
When Powell learned she had stage 2 estrogen-positive (ER+) breast cancer at age 35, she received the news not from her doctor, but through her patient portal. The lack of human connection prompted Powell and her husband to seek alternative treatment locations.
They really liked several of the doctors they saw at different locations, but during a discussion about how to decide, City of Hope called to schedule a follow-up appointment. “I was like, ‘that’s our answer.’ Everything moved so quickly and smoothly there,” said Powell, who received her care at City of Hope Atlanta. “After our second appointment, you could tell everything just felt like home.”
Around the same time as Powell’s diagnosis, Norris received the news that she had stage 3 triple-negative invasive ductal carcinoma after pushing for further testing of suspicious lumps found by her gynecologist. She was only 32.
“If you feel like something’s not right, don’t give up until you have assurance that everything is okay,” said Norris, whose tumors were initially labeled benign at an imaging center. “Keep fighting for yourself, because unfortunately, nobody else is going to do it for you.”
Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in women under 50, so young women should be vigilant about their breast health, said Amina Naqvi, M.D., a medical oncologist at City of Hope and part of Norris and Powell’s care teams.
“Anyone who has a new lump, thickening of breast or armpit tissue, changes to a nipple or skin of the breast or a family history of the disease should consult their physician and push for answers,” she said.
After meeting Powell — and a surgical consult that left her with more questions than answers — Norris decided to pursue treatment at City of Hope Atlanta, too, despite already starting chemotherapy elsewhere.
“There’s a quote you see at City of Hope: ‘There is no profit in curing the body, if in the process, we destroy the soul,’ and I think it’s important to the staff, because you can tell that they’re not just there to kill your cancer —they’re really there to heal your body,” Norris said. “There’s a level of care there that you don’t get anywhere else, and it is truly unmatched.”
Although it’s rare to start chemotherapy at one center and switch to another, Norris was able to finish out her treatments at City of Hope alongside Powell. They both endured rounds of doxorubicin, dubbed the “red devil” for its often-harsh side effects.
“We learned each other’s schedules and would bounce things off each other that no one else would understand,” Powell remembered. “We would laugh at things other people probably thought we were crazy for laughing at, and it was nice to have someone who understood.”
They attended each other’s parties to celebrate the end of chemotherapy and got to light the Christmas tree together at City of Hope in 2024. Norris and Powell even had double mastectomies on the same day, done by the same surgeon. After experiencing cognitive issues from their treatments, they both had sessions with the same speech therapist Emily, who suggested they start a podcast.
“She kind of challenged us to start it,” said Powell. “She just thought we had so much to share about our unique story and being able to lean on each other. There are so many people our age who need to hear it, and there’s not a lot out there for them.”
Giving a Voice to Young Women
Norris and Powell have recorded several episodes of Boobie Banter. Aimed at young parents, the podcast digs into every challenge of navigating a cancer diagnosis while raising a family.
“You still have to get up, get the kids to school, help them with homework, and make sure dinner’s on the table,” said Powell, who is a realtor and mom to an 11-year-old son.
On top of everyday concerns, kids also need to be informed about what’s going on medically.
“How do you tell your kids that you have cancer and that you’re really sick? How do you tell them that Mom is going to lose her hair?” said Norris, who is a mom to three girls, ages three to seven. “We felt really strongly that we could put a voice to some of the fears that we had.”
In one episode, Norris and Powell explore the journey of healing after breast cancer, both physically and psychologically.
“Lauren and Brittney have been through a lot together and it’s really special that they are sharing their experiences and advocating for young women so that others can benefit,” said Dr. Naqvi. “Finding systems of support is so critical to healing during and after cancer treatment.”
In another episode, they dig into the emotional rollercoaster of fear, anger, and hope that cancer brought into their lives. Two episodes feature important special guests.
“We interviewed our husbands in one episode to get their point of view and also interviewed my son,” Powell said. “We’re trying to hit on every angle."
Recording the podcast has also helped the women deal with what they’ve gone through over the past two years.
“It really helps to talk about what I’ve been through and to tell my story, because I know that God’s going to use it for something better and use it for good, and I don’t feel like I’ve wasted my struggle, because I’m helping other people,” said Norris, who is also writing a book about her experience.
Finding Community
The duo plan to continue growing their podcast and hope to cultivate a group for young moms in their area who are facing breast cancer. Beyond having each other to lean on, Norris and Powell both say the support of their communities — including their care teams at City of Hope — was crucial to helping their families cope.
“Our friend group was incredible,” said Norris. “We had people pay to have our house cleaned, bring meals, do yard work for us and take our kids to school, just all kinds of stuff. That was really cool.”
When Powell had to stay home from church to avoid getting sick during treatment and mentioned missing worship music to a fellow congregant, a concert was set up in the parking lot just for her.
“It was special to see people rally around you,” she said. “Even when you had a bad day, it was very uplifting to go back and see that you had so many people supporting and standing behind you.”
While both women continue to deal with some post-treatment side effects, like fatigue, they both say they are doing well and look forward to celebrating more milestones together.
“We’re stuck for life, because we walked through something really hard together,” Norris said with a laugh. “But we are a constant source of encouragement for each other. It’s been really neat to go through this with Brittney so closely, walking the halls for recovery together and now being able to tell our story.”
If you or a loved one is concerned about possible signs or symptoms of cancer and would like an initial appointment or a second opinion, call us 24/7 at (833) 902-5220.