CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The mother of a Charlotte Hornets player is urging women to advocate for their health after facing and beating breast cancer.

What You Need To Know

 In Novermber 2022, Miller received a mammogram, which came back normal

 Miller was diagnosed with Stage 0 breast cancer two months later

 Miller is now cancer free

In November 2022, Yolanda Miller, the mother of Hornets forward Brandon Miller, received her annual mammogram, which came back normal. Two months later, she noticed something was not right.

“I started experiencing some pain in my left breast,” Miller said. “There was some discharge, so I called my doctor. It came back that I had cancer, which was Stage 0. It was caught in the very early stages because I just had that mammogram and nothing was detected.”

It was Miller’s worst nightmare.

“I was mad,” she said. “I was scared and upset and had all the emotions that come with hearing a cancer diagnosis. Why wasn’t this found during my mammogram? They said it could have been because it was too small to detect at that time.” 

Miller’s diagnosis came during a busy time for her family. Her oldest son was about to get married. Her daughter was pursuing her master’s degree, and her son Brandon was in the middle of his basketball season at the University of Alabama and preparing to enter the NBA Draft.

“As a mom, you want to protect your kids and your family at all costs,” Miller said. “That’s what I did. I didn’t need them to know that I wasn’t doing well.”

Miller did not tell her children about her diagnosis and underwent surgery to have the lump in her breast removed. When the surgery was not successful, she knew she had to open up to her family. It is a day her daughter, Britany, remembers vividly.

“I just remember her telling her, ‘You’re upset right now, but our prayers are going to be answered and you’re going to be cancer free,’” Britany Miller said.

Just a few months later – after two lumpectomies, a double mastectomy and reconstruction surgery – Miller was cancer free.

“I’m so grateful to be alive,” she said.

Miller is walking in the Susan G. Komen More than Pink walk Saturday. She is leading her team, She’s a Bad Mammograma. Miller is not just walking for herself, however. She will be walking for her family and everyone impacted by breast cancer.

“I didn’t give up,” Miller said. “No matter what the doctor said, I still had faith. I still had hope that this was going to pass. Breast cancer doesn’t always have to be viewed as a death sentence. It’s something that if you react fast, this can be something of your past. Just keep the faith. Stay hopeful and stay encouraged because there’s a bigger thing in this life for you to experience.”

Miller encourages all women to receive their annual mammograms and advocate for themselves if they do not feel like something is not right with their bodies.