Meet Chesley
In 2002, at the age of 28 and newly pregnant with her second child, Chesley was diagnosed with Stage I breast cancer. After learning of her BRCA2 positive status, she became determined to learn all she could about her treatment options, growing into a strong self-advocate along the way. Realizing she needed the support of other young women living this experience, she joined YSC. The tremendous relief of talking and sharing with others who instinctively understood how cancer invades every aspect of life inspired her to serve as a peer mentor for her local breast cancer center. The owner of a yarn shop at the time, Chesley founded the Knitted Knockers Program to provide free, comfortable prostheses to women who have had mastectomies, an effort that has served hundreds of women and sparked the growth of Knitted Knockers groups across the country. Her personal journey as a cancer patient, survivor, volunteer and advocate led her to return to school to earn her degree in clinical social work. Today, as an oncology social worker, Chesley has the honor of providing counseling, support and advocacy for patients and families at the Harold Alfond Center for Cancer Care in Augusta, Maine. Chesley received her BA from Dartmouth College and MA in history from the College of William and Mary. She lives with her husband and two amazing boys, Connor, who was only 3 at the time of her diagnosis and is now applying to college, and Alec, her co-survivor, who recently turned 16. Chesley is excited to contribute to the mission of the Supportive Services and Survivorship work group.
