“Stu Strong”: Kim’s Journey Through Breast Cancer Treatment

An Unexpected Diagnosis

When Kim Stuchinski looks back on her breast cancer journey, she remembers the fear of the unknown, but also the people who helped her through it. Kim, who lives in Aberdeen, Maryland, is a mother of two, the owner of a cleaning business and an administrative support team member at a physical therapy office. She is used to caring for others and staying busy.

But in May 2025, life changed unexpectedly. After foot surgery, Kim began experiencing swelling in her legs and underwent a CT scan. The scan revealed a mass in her left breast, even though she had kept up with her yearly mammograms. A biopsy followed in June, and two days later, Kim received the diagnosis: breast cancer.

She had recently completed her associate degree in science, and her daughter had just graduated from high school. What should have been a summer of celebration quickly became a season filled with questions and uncertainty.

“It was a lot of fear,” Kim said. “Not knowing what to do, where to go, who to call.”

Asking for Proton Therapy

Kim began researching her options and talking with breast cancer survivors. That led her to the University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health’s Kaufman Cancer Center.

Throughout the process, Kim’s mother was by her side, and she came to every appointment with one important question. “Everyone we met, she asked about proton therapy. My mother is a huge advocate for protons,” Kim said.

When Kim learned more about proton therapy, the treatment made sense to her. Because proton therapy can be delivered in a highly targeted way, it can help reduce radiation exposure to nearby healthy tissue. For Kim, that was an important consideration.

“The benefit of not radiating other parts of the body and protecting healthy tissue, like my heart, that mattered to me,” she said.

Kim Takes on Cancer

After chemotherapy, Kim underwent a double mastectomy.

Then Kim came to the Maryland Proton Treatment Center (MPTC) for proton therapy. Her provider at MPTC was Dr. Sarah Dudley, Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, whom she first met at Kaufman Cancer Center. Kim also found comfort in knowing that members of her care team knew one another and were working together.

During treatment, she brought her positive attitude into the room, often playing Michael Jackson during her sessions. From the physicians to the nurses, nurse navigators, therapists and support staff, Kim says the MPTC team became a steady source of comfort.

#StuStrong

While undergoing treatment, Kim was surrounded by family and friends. Her neighbor organized a small fundraiser, and Kim’s family rallied around the hashtag #StuStrong, a phrase that began years earlier when her brother, Donnie, faced non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

For Kim, “Stu Strong” became more than a hashtag. It was a reminder of the strength and support surrounding her. “I felt loved. I felt secure,” she said. “It wasn’t miserable. It was smooth sailing, even though I had every side effect you can think of.”

Now that treatment is complete, Kim is looking forward to normalcy, getting back to everyday life, continuing her education and being present for her children.

Her experience has also shaped her future goals. Before her diagnosis, Kim knew she wanted to pursue a career in radiology, but she was not sure where that path would lead. Now, she says she knows: she wants to work at MPTC.

“When you go through something, anything that changes your quality of life gives you a different perspective,” Kim said. “I was always a positive person, but even more now, I enjoy the little things. I’m looking forward to the future.”