Jenn Nudelman, 46, knew the odds were stacked against her. Breast cancer runs deep in her family so she knew her chance of getting the disease was one in three. Her grandmother died from breast cancer, and she has two aunts who are survivors.

Knowing this, she has been vigilant and aware, keeping up with her yearly mammograms and checkups. But the odds caught up with her.

“My family has a gene mutation that hasn’t been identified yet,” Nudelman said.

A lump found in her breast was so small that it was only detected by a radiologist at Overlake Hospital as a result of her regularly scheduled mammogram.

The first biopsy came back atypia, meaning there was an abnormality in a cell. A subsequent MRI revealed three areas with increased blood flow, which can indicate malignant activity.

“It lit up the screen,” Nudelman said.

An MRI guided biopsy confirmed that all three areas were malignant. What’s unique about her story is she never felt a lump. Even with her family history she was a bit surprised.

The diagnosis was multi-focal invasive ductal carcinoma. The recommendation was mastectomy.

Even though the cancer was only in one breast, Nudelman opted for a bi-lateral mastectomy.

“When I made that decision, even though the other side didn’t have cancer I looked at it as a ticking time bomb,” she said.

Fortunately, since it was caught so early she didn’t have to endure chemotherapy; the cancer had not crept into her lymph nodes and her margins were all clear of cancer.

Nudelman waited three months for all of the pathology reports to be analyzed, then she moved forward with reconstructive surgery. Since her mastectomy was skin and nipple sparing, she was able to go the route of expanders, which over time are gradually filled with saline solution to expand the skin, in preparation for implants.

Two and a half weeks after having the expanders put in, Nudelman walked in the Komen Foundation’s 3-Day for the Cure, a three day, 60-mile walk to raise money for breast cancer research. She walked all 60-miles and has done so a total of seven times — she was walking it before she got cancer, in honor of her grandmother. This year she will walk for the eighth time. She even has seven pink-ribbon tattoos on her leg for each time she has participated in the 3-Day.

“My body was tired,” she said of the walk after her surgery.

In her last 3-Day she was nominated to be part of the survivor circle and was honored to carry the “optimism” flag into Century Link Field.

What she has learned from her cancer experience is how really strong she is.

“In a way, I consider cancer as a blessing,” she said. “I was laid off half-way through my treatment, so I had time once I started feeling better to volunteer for Komen.”

Her work with Komen has taken her to large employers like the FAA and the IRS, and also a private school in Kirkland to talk to them about the importance of fundraising for Komen. She found it gratifying to talk to high school kids.

“It’s being able to touch someone, to be able to talk to someone that age and make them see why this is important,” she said.

She was also the surprise speaker at Mammography Reporting System, which provides software for mammograms, breast MRIs, nuclear imaging and ultrasounds.

She said it was helpful for them to put a human face on breast cancer.

Nudelman, who lives in Issaquah, plans to re-enter the workforce soon, but in the meantime she started fostering and rehabilitating dogs. Along with a friend, they are starting a Shar-Pei rescue group called “Aleks Angels.”

She will be participating in Race for the Cure on June 2 in Seattle. Seventy-five percent of funds raised from Komen Puget Sound Race for the Cure stay right here, and 25 percent goes to national research. The percentages flip for the 3-Day, with 75 percent going to national research and 25 percent staying in the Puget Sound area.

Staff writer Linda Ball can be reached at 425-391-0363, ext. 5052.