According to a study recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, there has been a 2% annual increase in invasive breast cancer in U.S. women under forty over the last three decades. A second study by the American Cancer Society shows that invasive breast tumors in women under forty-five years old increased by 11.8% between 2007 and 2011 alone. Breast cancer may be evolving into a young woman’s disease, but they are fighting back. Here are five inspiring stories of brave young women who are surviving and thriving!

Lisa’s Story: Diagnosed at Twenty-Eight

Lisa had no symptoms other than pain in her breast. While trying to figure out what was causing it, she felt a lump. She thought she wasn’t old enough for a mammogram. She was scared. Cancer? At 28? Read Lisa’s full story here.

A Young Mother’s Story of Hope

Randi Wideman was only 27 years old when she was diagnosed with Stage 2 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. To top it all, she was a new mom with a 14-month-old baby!