Breast Cancer Survivor Says Instagram Influencer Saved Her Life By Sharing Her Own Story

A Texas fitness trainer and mom of three young kids is crediting an Instagram influencer with saving her life.

33-year-old Carli Williams felt a small lump in her breast last year, but when she went to the doctor for it, she was told that it was most likely just a cyst.

Another doctor told her she could have an ultrasound done, but Williams didn’t think much of it and decided not to follow up.

As the months went by, the lump began to grow bigger and thicker, and Williams went to get a second opinion from a different doctor. Again, she was told that it wasn’t breast cancer and was probably just a cyst since she was “young and healthy.”

At the same time, Delia Chatwin, an influencer on Instagram whom Williams was following, was facing a breast cancer diagnosis at the young age of 28.

The model and designer from Utah was diagnosed with stage 3 invasive breast cancer in January 2021 after finding a lump in her breast while doing a self-breast exam.

It was an extremely hard pill to swallow, but after undergoing chemotherapy, Chatwin began sharing her story on Instagram.

Although it was very hard for her to share her diagnosis, she hoped that in doing so she’d be able to help others going through the same thing.

That’s when Williams was scrolling through Instagram and saw Chatwin’s posts about her diagnosis.

After listening to Chatwin’s story and seeing that another young woman who was otherwise healthy was diagnosed with breast cancer, Williams immediately called her doctor and requested a mammogram.

After receiving the mammogram and further testing, she was diagnosed with stage 2 ductal carcinoma breast cancer that had metastasized to her lymph nodes.

Williams has since undergone several rounds of chemotherapy, along with a mastectomy.

She says that if it weren’t for Chatwin sharing her story, the outcome could’ve been much different.

“Because Delia posted and because I listened to my own intuition about my own body, I’m going to be in a position now where I’m going to be alive for my kids and I’m going to be OK,” Williams told GMA. “I’ve seen the ugly side of social media and this has been a beautiful side.”

Williams and Chatwin have since become close friends and have helped each other along their journey.

They hope sharing their story will encourage others to get checked at the doctor, no matter how “young and healthy” they think they are.

Although most breast cancers are diagnosed in women ages 50 and older, the disease can affect women of all ages.

Hear more of this story in the video below: