Hope and Healing: Shelly Mullin’s Triumph Over Breast Cancer

In the heart of our community, inspiration can be found in neighbor and friend, Shelly Mullin, a Marine veteran, creative entrepreneur, and breast cancer survivor whose journey embodies courage, grace, and resilience. Her story is not only one of personal triumph but also a reminder of the strength that comes from community support, hope, and perseverance.

Mullin is sharing her story to help others who may be going through a similar experience. She encourages women to be proactive and get mammograms beginning at the age of 40 or earlier if they have a family history of the disease. She wants women to know they are not alone and that numerous resources are available to them, including in-person and online support groups. She adds that the medical field has state-of-the-art equipment to help women battle the disease and says, “the c word is not a death sentence.”

She got her first mammogram at age 40, and it came back abnormal. She has dense breast tissue, which makes it a little more difficult for radiologists to detect cancer. But everything seemed ok at that time. “I always had this intuitive feeling I would eventually get breast cancer,” says Mullin. Breast cancer is present on both sides of her family. “My dad’s sister died from breast cancer, and my mom’s sister was also diagnosed ,” says Mullin.

She went for another mammogram at age 46 and confirmed her hunch. She could hear the voice of her late father echoing through her mind that she needed to make another mammogram appointment, and she knew she had it when she saw the look on the radiology tech’s face. Later, she received a call from her doctor stating that the results were abnormal again. She received her diagnosis in February 2025 through the VA Medical Center, after years of mentally preparing for the possibility due to her family’s medical history. When she received the news, she took it with her marine mentality and immediately asked the doctor on the other end of the phone, “What’s next?”

“I caught it very early,” says Mullin. “I am very lucky.” Mullin says her breast cancer journey has involved a lot of waiting, worrying, and stress. There are a lot of “what ifs,” and she was curious what type of breast cancer she had because there are several different types. She had IDC, Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, and DCIS, Ductal Carcinoma in Situ. Her treatment involved 15 days of radiation therapy (Monday through Friday, with a break on weekends) but no chemotherapy. Fatigue was the main side effect. She also has to take Tamoxifen daily for five years to help prevent recurrence, a treatment that carries side effects such as hot flashes, uterine cancer, blood clots, and increased risk of osteoporosis.

She is thankful for every day and grateful for her many friends who helped her through the tough times and celebrated both small and big moments. She feels blessed to wake up each day knowing she is alive, and she chooses not to live in fear.

“The VA team was phenomenal and made me feel like I had options,” says Mullin. “It’s important that women have that choice.” She says the VA gave her the choice to do either a mastectomy or a lumpectomy, where the surgeon removes the cancerous tumor along with a small margin of healthy tissue around it, but leaves most of the breast intact. After consulting with her care team, she chose a lumpectomy, followed by genetic testing that surprisingly showed her cancer was not hereditary, but caused by environmental exposure.

At the end of July, on the last day of her radiation treatment, the whole CCARE radiation team (independent of the VA) came out to watch her ring the bell. Instead of the typical bell ring to symbolize the end of active treatment, she brought out a bat for a photo op of smacking the bell because, with the help of the team, she crushed cancer and won the fight.

Her Marine mindset to “adapt and overcome” carried her through the toughest moments. “Cancer has been a blessing in disguise,” she reflected. “It helped me realize what’s truly important in life and to take one day at a time.”

2025 has been a challenging year, but since her diagnosis, her life has been moving in a positive direction. The outpouring of support from friends and community members has been overwhelming, and she feels the love deeply. “I hate pink,” says Mullin. “Now I find myself wearing it all the time.” She has learned to embrace and love the color that represents the fight against breast cancer.

Mullin owns Shellz Dezign Photography & Dogs. She is a creative photographer specializing in graphic and web design, as well as dog walking services. She also does drop-in care for animals within Ramona and dog boarding in her home. She was forced to take a step back from her business for a brief time during her battle.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. About one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. Early detection saves lives. If you would like more information about the disease, please visit WWW.Breastcancer.org. There are also apps, such as the mobile app Outcomes4me, to help with treatment plans, reports, and clinical trials.

Photos courtesy of Shelly Mullin.