When a Doctor Becomes the Patient: What a Breast Cancer Survivor Wants Women to Know
Photo: Dr. Jen Moran
During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Dr. Jen Moran shares steps women can take to better understand their risk and protect their breast health.
Dr. Jen Moran spent much of her career caring for patients.
Then, a breast cancer diagnosis placed the accomplished cosmetic dentist, business owner, and mother of four on the other side of health care: as the patient. Now a breast cancer survivor, Dr. Moran is using Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October to encourage women to take a more active role in protecting their health…not through fear, but through information, conversations and consistent care.
Dr. Moran’s message comes as breast cancer continues to affect women at striking rates. The American Cancer Society estimates that approximately 321,910 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in U.S. women in 2026, and about 42,140 women will die from the disease. The average woman has roughly a 1 in 8 chance of developing breast cancer during her lifetime.
“Becoming the patient changed the way I think about health,” said Dr. Jen Moran, founder of JMK Wellness. “As women, we often become so focused on caring for our families, our careers and everyone around us that our own appointments are the easiest ones to postpone. I want women to understand that paying attention to their health is not selfish. It is one of the most important things they can do for themselves and the people who depend on them.”
Although no action can completely prevent breast cancer, Dr. Moran encourages women to take the following six practical steps to help reduce risks:
· Know your personal risk. Learn whether breast, ovarian, pancreatic, or colon cancer runs in your family and share that history with your physician to monitor. Women with a strong family history of cancer may benefit from a formal risk assessment, genetic counseling or genetic testing.
· Create a screening plan with your doctor. Screening recommendations can vary according to age and individual risk. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends mammograms every other year from ages 40 through 74 for women at average risk, while some women may need to begin earlier or receive additional imaging. Note that traditional mammograms are considered non-diagnostic for dense breast tissue. Ask for a 3D mammogram if you have dense breast tissue and read the fine print at the bottom of your mammogram report.
· Pay attention to changes. Become familiar with how your breasts normally look and feel, and promptly report a new lump, swelling, nipple discharge, skin dimpling, persistent pain, or another unusual change. A concern should be evaluated even when a recent mammogram was normal.
· Make movement and a healthy weight priorities. Regular physical activity and maintaining a healthy weight, particularly after menopause, may help lower breast cancer risk. The American Cancer Society recommends 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous activity.
· Limit alcohol and avoid smoking. Alcohol consumption is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, even at relatively low levels. Women who drink should consider limiting intake and discussing their individual risk factors with their physician. According to the National Cancer Institute, there is strong evidence that alcohol drinking can cause cancer, including breast cancer.
· Make wellness a habit. Good health is built through consistent habits. Dr. Moran keeps her own routine manageable with simple conveniences, including B12 and multivitamin patches and daily gummy vitamins featured among her personally vetted favorites at JMKWellness.com. Supplements are not a substitute for screening, medical care, or a balanced diet, and women should consult their physicians about what is appropriate for them.
Breast cancer incidence has been increasing by approximately 1% annually in recent years,
with a slightly faster rise among women younger than 50, according to the American Cancer Society. Yet there is also encouraging progress: Breast cancer death rates have fallen 44% since 1989, a decline attributed largely to earlier detection, greater awareness and improved treatment.
“Breast Cancer Awareness Month should be about more than wearing pink,” Dr. Moran said. “It should remind every woman to schedule the appointment she has been putting off, learn her family history and ask questions until she understands her own risk. You cannot control every outcome, but you can advocate for yourself, and you know your body better than anyone.”
Moran’s experience with breast cancer also reshaped her broader approach to wellness. After stepping away from dentistry for 17 years to raise her children and navigate her diagnosis and recovery, she returned to clinical practice with a renewed commitment to helping women prioritize their health, confidence, and quality of life.
Today, she shares her story, services, and wellness perspective at DrJenMoran.com. Through JMKWellness.com she also offers a curated collection of dental, wellness and beauty products she personally uses and recommends. For additional breast cancer information and screening guidance, women should consult their health care providers and visit the American Cancer Society at cancer.org.
About Dr. Jen Moran
Dr. Jen Moran is a cosmetic and restorative dentist known for combining advanced science, artistic precision and compassionate care to create natural, confidence-boosting smiles. She founded Water Tower Dental Care in Chicago in 1997 and returned to clinical practice after taking 17 years away to raise her four children and overcome breast cancer. Moran now treats patients at Water Tower Dental Care and Hinsdale Dentistry.As a dentist, mother, entrepreneur and breast cancer survivor, she is passionate about helping women advocate for their health, embrace reinvention and live with greater confidence. Learn more at DrJenMoran.com, explore her curated wellness recommendations at JMKWellness.com and follow @DrJenMoran on Instagram.
Sources:
American Cancer Society. Key Statistics for Breast Cancer. https://www.cancer.
American Cancer Society. Can I Lower My Risk of Breast Cancer? https://www.cancer.
U.S. Preventative Services Task Force. Breast Cancer: Screening. April 2024. https://www.
National Cancer Institute. Alcohol and Cancer Risk. May 2025. https://www.cancer.gov/
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