TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Amber Reynolds was just 36 years old when she was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer in March 2022. With no family history and only a 1.1% chance of developing the disease, the news came as a shock to her. But instead of letting cancer define her, she chose to fight and remain positive.
“There were a couple of days of shock, of course, like everybody goes through,” Reynolds said. “And then maybe by day three, it was like a switch flipped.”
Reynolds had multiple surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy. Despite the challenges, she says the journey gave her a new perspective on life.
“I lost all my hair, eyebrows, eyelashes, all of it. It was a very humbling experience,” she said. “I had seven different surgeries during that time, and I was the happiest I’ve ever been in my whole life, which is pretty wild to say.”
Determined to turn her experience into something positive, Reynolds revisited a poem she had written a decade ago about a child eager to grow up too fast. She now turned that poem into a self-published book, "So You Wanna Grow Up?"
“Most kids don’t realize how good they have it until it’s too late, and that really translates into adulthood in every stage of life,” Reynolds said.
She hopes the book’s message resonates with readers of all ages, hoping they take away one message: “Really enjoy the present moment. Be present in the moment and don’t wish your life away,” she said.
Reynolds has 1,000 copies of her book ready for release and will celebrate with a book launch party on March 22.
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