Bald Ballerina Birthday

Today Bald Ballerina celebrates her 7th birthday! Her life began filled with hope despite a very poor medical prognosis: stage 4 metastatic breast cancer that had spread to the sternum, spine, and pelvis; median life expectancy 2-3 years; no cure on the horizon.

Over the past 7 years, I learned that I would need both medical and moral support to keep the cancer at bay. Becoming the Bald Ballerina helped me find that support. It also helped spread my message that cancer does not discriminate: No one is too young; No one is too fit; No one is immune from breast cancer.

On this 7th Birthday, cancer is again active in my body just as when Bald Ballerina was born on June 24, 2014. I am just as hopeful now as when I was first diagnosed. I am in the 2nd week of my new treatment and hope that it will work for many years.

I am very grateful to everyone who has followed my journey and supported me with encouraging messages, prayers, suggestions, and donations. I treasure and appreciate them all. With your continued support and prayers, I hope to have many, many more years of living and dancing.

Here are some of the highlights of Bald Ballerina’s 7th year:
· Was invited to join The Pink Agenda Leadership Council. I helped with educational campaigns and raised funds for breast cancer research.
· Spoke at The Pink Agenda’s Virtual Gala.
· NBC News Know Your Value did a story about me: ‘Dancing through the pain’: How ‘Bald Ballerina’ Maggie Kudirka found resilience after a terminal cancer diagnosis.
· The TODAY show discussed my story while interviewing Ali Rogan, author of Beat Breast Cancer Like a Boss, a book about 30 breast cancer patients. I was honored to be among them.
· Began showing Momma Mia at AKC Fast CAT trials and Momma earned her BCAT – the 1st level title of the AKC Coursing Ability Test.
· My beloved Pomeranian Vickie passed away at the age of 14. She found my cancer before I even suspected I had it.
· Wrote an article for Healthline.com: How My Dog Helps Me Live in the Moment with Metastatic Breast Cancer
· I was one of five breast cancer patients featured in the book Say Something Big by Leigh Hurst.
· Modeled for AnaOno Intimates
· Was invited to stay in Golden Oak and attend the Grand Re-Opening of Walt Disney World. I dined at Club 33 Lounges in the Magic Kingdom and the Animal Kingdom
· Got a prophylactic hysterectomy
· Cooked my 1st Thanksgiving dinner for my family
· Joined the Edna Lee Dance Studio Faculty
· Produced my 7th No One Can Survive Alone benefit dance concert which was a virtual concert of highlights from past years.
· Did not get Covid-19 and got the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine as soon as my doctor recommended it.
· Celebrated my 30th Birthday - something I only dreamed would happen when I was diagnosed with MBC in 2014.

I can’t wait to see what is in store for the Bald Ballerina in the coming years. Thank you to everyone who has shared my journey and who made these wonderful experiences possible. I can’t begin to express how much your support means to me.
#breastcancer #metastaticbreastcancer#baldballerina #birthday #grateful