Steppin's Out In Pink Helps Young Mom Fight Cancer

La Crosse, Wis. (WKBT) – – A young mother struggling with breast cancer was one of the thousands of people who were walking Saturday for Steppin's Gundersen Out In Pink.

Life seemed to be perfect for Emily Hansen, a 34-year-old mother of four, married to her best friend.

But in April, a physical routine changed the course of Hansen's life.

"It was really a shock when I was diagnosed" Hansen said.

Hansen went to the doctor for an annual checkup and came out knowing that she had breast cancer.

"We do not really have a family history of breast cancer" Hansen said.

The news was hard to believe.

"I denied it for a while and I said I did not have time for that" Hansen said.

Hansen then decided if she should have cancer, she was going to make the most of it.

"You can not control what's happening to you, but you can control what you get out of it." I told my kids from the first day that I was diagnosed, "I said: "We are going to use this and we are going to get stronger and we will find good things to get out of it" Hansen said.

And good things came out of it, she got close to her friends and her children.

She has also learned to see good in everything.

"There is always someone who has a more difficult situation than you," Hansen said.

She followed her journey on Facebook.

"I shared my story about my journey of faith and fitness on Facebook and it was a great way to keep everyone up to date on what's new and how we treat everything." Hansen said.

She hopes that someday it will help inspire others who are fighting cancer.

"As writing my thoughts and feelings and what I live in my experiences has been great because I think I can come back to it and hopefully share it with someone else who could live something similar Hansen said.

And the last entry of his online journal will be Steppin's Out In Pink.

"I imagine that it was a very effective way to pick me up before my surgery and encourage me to keep fighting."

Hansen is operated on Tuesday andafter undergoing radiation therapy.

If you want to follow Hansen on Facebook, look for Fitness and Faith Journey.