WOODS CROSS, Utah — For Rebekah Lowe and Kathryn Irvine, being sisters has always meant being there for each other.
"We're very close,” said Lowe.
“Best friends," added Irvine.
“Yeah, we're almost like twins,” Lowe finished.
But in August 2013, that bond would be tested in a way neither of them saw coming. At just 34 years old, Lowe found a lump in her breast.
"[The doctor] flat out said, I'm 99% sure it's cancer," Lowe said. "And then I started crying because then it really hit and I said, what do I do?"
Lowe was diagnosed with Stage 3, triple-positive breast cancer. And as she started losing her hair, Irvine was right by her side.
"She came and she buzzed my head, and then she just immediately buzzed hers, too, and I just started bawling because I'm like, why are you doing that?" Lowe recalled.
Two years later, their sister Heather was diagnosed with Stage 0 breast cancer at 49. Then just a year after that, Irvine noticed a change in her own body. She was diagnosed with stage two, triple-negative breast cancer at was 38.
"I was pregnant with my sixth child, and I was noticing changes in my breasts, not necessarily a lump because I never felt my lump… my nipple was inverting," Irvine said.
For Lowe, watching her sister face the same disease was a different kind of pain.
"When she was diagnosed, I was so angry. I was so angry," she said. "I'm like, I did this. Why did I go through this for her to have to be diagnosed also? It's a lot harder to watch someone else."
But this time, neither sister had to face cancer without someone who understood.
"I knew what to expect even though our diagnoses were slightly different. I had watched her go through chemotherapy. I watched her go through surgeries. I watched her do all of the things, and so I had an idea of what to expect when I had to start my treatments," Irvine explained.
Lowe and Irvine both underwent genetic testing for the BRCA gene and both received negative results.
"We found through all of this that we do not have any of the genetic mutations that are currently being tracked. However, our oncologist said you'll probably be one of 12 families that help us identify a new gene mutation," Lowe said.
Dr. Teresa Reading, a breast surgeon with Intermountain Health, said a negative genetic test doesn't necessarily mean a family has no increased risk.
"You can have a big family history and not have any known gene mutation. It still means you have an increased risk of breast cancer," Reading said.
Reading said multiple relatives diagnosed at younger ages are a reason to consider genetic counseling and testing.
"The reason why screening is so important is because if you do develop breast cancer, if we find it early, it's much more treatable," said Reading.
The doctor also said there may be outside factors to explain why this happened.
"There could be something where they grew up and they had some exposure, or they could have something that they do just in their family that would increase their risk," Reading explained. "There could be activity, things that they do that might increase their risk, so it's not all genetically mediated but can be environmentally mediated."
Rebekah, Kathryn, and Heather were all diagnosed with breast cancer, but two other siblings were also diagnosed with cancer. Their sister, Karen, was diagnosed with stage four ovarian cancer in May 2016 at age 49.
She passed away a year later, and their brother, Patrick, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2018 at age 50.
They may not know why cancer has affected so many members of their family, but the sisters want other women to remember this.
"Be an advocate for yourself and know your own body because you're the one who's going to find the changes. And go in and see a doctor," Irvine said.
Now, Lowe and Irvine are turning some of the hardest years of their life into something positive. As the SparkLee Sisters, a nod to their maiden name, they host an annual charity ball to raise money for others fighting cancer.
"I would rather celebrate life while I'm living and celebrate with my friends and family while I'm still alive. And so, we get to get dressed up, and we dance, and we have fun, and we celebrate life,” Lowe said.
“We sparkle," Irvine added.
And for women just beginning the journey, the sisters want them to see what can be waiting on the other side.
"This is you in 10 years, this is you in 13 years. Every moment is special and should be celebrated every year that we have survived," Irvine said. "Every year that we have lived is a blessing, and we don't take that for granted and we're very grateful, so grateful for every moment."
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