Two sisters who are part of a set of triplets were diagnosed with breast cancer within months of each other — and went through major treatment side by side.
Kate and Elizabeth Singletary, 27, of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, told WCNC that they were both diagnosed last year and ultimately had double mastectomies just five days apart.
Kate, a medical student, first suspected something was wrong in March 2024 after noticing a large lump in her breast.
“I just noticed something felt not normal in my breast and I kind of was feeling around, and I was like, ‘Hmm, this seems odd,’ and it was a pretty big lump,” she said.
She recalled feeling stunned when doctors raised the possibility of cancer. “When they initially told me that they thought it was cancer, I kind of went numb,” Kate told the outlet. “I kept nodding my head as the radiologist was talking, and I kind of blacked out what he said.”
Soon after, Kate underwent genetic testing and learned she carries the CHEK2 gene mutation, which increases the risk of bilateral breast cancer. She later wrote about the experience in an essay for Women’s Health.
The result prompted Elizabeth to get tested as well — a decision she described as a “no-brainer.” Her test came back positive for the same mutation.
In her essay, Kate described the moment she found out Elizabeth also had cancer in September 2024.
“She told me the news right when I got home from a walk around the block. I started crying,” Kate recalled to Women’s Health. “I didn’t want her to have to go through all of this, too. But she’s faced it with a lot of courage and grace, and told me that she would be much more scared about her diagnosis if she hadn’t seen me already go through chemo with a later-stage cancer.”
Their third triplet is their brother, Jack. After Elizabeth’s diagnosis, both sisters moved quickly into aggressive treatment. Each underwent a double mastectomy — just five days apart — followed by further care intended to remove remaining cancer cells and reduce the risk of future recurrence.
Because their surgeries were so close together, they recovered “under the same roof,” leaning on each other for both emotional support and day-to-day post-operative care.
“Before surgery, I had no idea how I was going to feel — mentally — once my breasts were removed,” Kate wrote in her 2024 essay. “I wanted to give myself the freedom to feel all of the emotions and not feel pressure to feel ‘OK’ about it. Seeing Elizabeth be so strong through her surgery really helped me, especially because it showed me what I’d look like after surgery.”
Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, where the sisters were treated, has since shared their story to encourage more young women — especially those with a family history of cancer — to consider genetic testing and early screening.
“Those individuals should undergo high-risk screening, meaning they should start mammograms at an earlier age, typically at least 10 years prior to the diagnosis of their first-degree relative,” Dr. Marissa Howard-McNatt, director of the hospital’s Breast Care Center, told WCNC. “High-risk screening also involves alternating mammograms with MRIs.”
Now, Kate and Elizabeth say they hope speaking out will push others to listen to their bodies and seek care early.
“Take things seriously,” Kate said. “No matter how young you are. Just take things seriously with your body.”
