Sheila McGlown is a mother, wife, 25-year veteran of the United States Air Force, metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patient and advocate. For Sheila, the fight against breast cancer goes beyond her personal battle with the disease: her mother passed away from MBC in 2004 and Sheila now says, “My life is never about me anymore, it's all about who I can help.”

While at work in the fall of 2009, Sheila sneezed and experienced a burning sensation near her breast. She went to her military doctor who, after performing a breast exam but finding nothing suspicious, ordered a mammogram as a precaution. In December, after a mammogram and subsequent ultrasound, Sheila was diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer at age 43.

Since her diagnosis, Sheila has retired from the military, and has become active within the breast cancer community. One of the main goals of her advocacy is to raise awareness of the disease and make sure others know that MBC can affect anyone, regardless of race or age. In 2013, Sheila joined Living Beyond Breast Cancer's Young Advocate volunteer outreach program, which provides the tools and training to help young women use their personal breast cancer experience to make a difference in their communities by raising awareness, furthering their understanding of the disease and advocating for others. Sheila was recognized by Living Beyond Breast Cancer with their 2017 Hear My Voice Award for the advocacy work she has done supporting others living with MBC.

Sheila has a strong support network to help her through her MBC journey, including her best friends, sisters, aunts and the many people she has met through her advocacy work – including Story Half Told participant, Beth Fairchild. Sheila says she never thought she would find love with MBC, but was happily surprised when she met her husband after diagnosis – the two have been married since 2016.