There’s no such thing as supermom, but Carrie Martinelli comes pretty dang close!
In early 2022, the 44-year-old balanced her time between watching her son’s sports games, a high-powered career in human resources, and becoming more involved in her community. Basically, she had it all…until one life-changing phone call.
Breast cancer? Her? It was sadly true, despite her healthy lifestyle. Carrie had years’ worth of preventative tests under her belt, and a set of toned arms that would make Michelle Obama jealous! Considering that getting cancer had always been her greatest fear, this journey had a devastating effect on her, both physically and mentally.
However, if she learned anything from baseball, it’s to never let one strike out prevent you from playing on. And therefore, she fought cancer with everything she had, coming out the other side with unexpected victories.
Despite her younger age and lack of family history with breast cancer, Carrie began advocating for her health in her late 30s. After a series of lymph node struggles and painful menstrual cycles, she understood the science of listening to her body. And it may have just saved her life. She was diagnosed with HER2+ Stage 1a breast cancer after her yearly routine mammogram, which she believes may not have been detected without her previous medical records.
“Now, to be clear, even with [the doctors] seeing something on my mammogram, I just assumed it was like every year prior, just density and some calcifications. I never, in all my imagination, thought anything was wrong.”
In the same realm of knowing your body’s needs, Carrie was also faced with a tough but necessary decision: how to proceed with treatment.
Would she remove only her left breast where they’d found cancerous tissue, or both to prevent further risk? For a woman who’s always prioritized her health and felt (rightfully!) very confident about her upper body, it was a devastating commitment.
However, she gathered her strength, courage, and guidance from loved ones and ultimately decided to remove only her left breast, followed by reconstruction.
“I met with my surgeon, found the very best oncologist, sat down with a thoracic surgeon and notified my employer of what was to come over the weeks following diagnosis. It was a whirlwind and the trauma from it will be with me forever.”
What can other women in their 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond learn from Carrie? It’s never too early to screen for breast cancer, even without family history. According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, when this disease is detected early and in the localized stage, the 5-year survival rate is an impressive 99%. And this is more than enough reason to insist on yearly testing.
Yes, even if you need to push back on your doctor’s recommendations!
For Carrie, the physical aspects of cancer had a stronger effect on her mental health than she’d anticipated.
After her mastectomy, chemotherapy, and surgeries, the confidence she’d had in her body for over four decades began to evaporate…making her feel like a different person. Like most women after chemo, she mourned the loss of her once-full eyelashes and eyebrows, as she could no longer do the “leaving the house with only mascara” makeup trick!
“Around week 9 [of chemo], it felt like my hair was coming out in chunks. And by week 11, I had lost all my eyebrows and eyelashes. And that was the devastating blow.”
She also cut her formerly long hair, and experienced more physical side effects after going into early menopause due to removing her Fallopian tubes and ovaries last year.
But while these changes were visual, it was her mind that went through a not-so-pretty transformation. Despite continuing to work full time and sticking to a regimen, she missed her “old” normal. And who could possibly blame her after such a trying few years?
While the visual changes to a woman’s body during cancer are well-documented, mental health is far less discussed. However, Prime (with Carrie’s help) is hoping to change this. A systematic review of qualitative studies shows that an overwhelming majority of women with breast cancer report decreased quality of life (QoL) related to the emotional challenges posed by the disease. This often continues for months or even years after the patient has gone into remission.
“I struggled in finding “my pretty” for almost two years. And during that time, I may not have looked different to those around me, but I felt like a shell of myself.”
So how can you help manage your mental health during such a difficult time? By doing what Carrie did, and making your own “new” normal.
She didn’t let her treatments deter her from her passions — sports, working, fitness and being a mother — and found strength in her greatest allies. Not only her family, colleagues, and vibrant community, but also the power of (you guessed it) Prime Prometics makeup!
Carrie admits that she struggled to “find her pretty” again for years, still feeling low about her looks even as her eyebrows and hair began to grow back. And for the record, this grieving process is perfectly normal. While naysayers may tell you to “not worry about appearances” and simply be grateful for your health, nobody can dictate your emotions in your personal cancer journey. Just ask Carrie, or any other woman who’s gone through similar challenges.
“I noticed a Prime Prometics ad one day when scrolling and decided to finally try it. And my eyelashes could not be happier.”
That being said, Martinelli did eventually find a friend in our pro-age makeup, and the rest is history! After cutting out harmful products that would raise her hormone levels or simply be non-beneficial to her as a cancer survivor, she came across a Prime ad one day.
Before she knew it, she was using the PrimeLash Mascara and PrimeLash Growth Serum daily to restore her lashes to their formerly-radiant state. Casual reminder…this serum is a vitamin-rich formula perfect for post-chemo queens!
“It is this amazing feeling of being seen so to speak. Cosmetics made for someone like me. As cliché as it may sound, it has given me a little life.”
Prime also inspired Carrie to connect with other chemo warriors who made her feel less alone — encouraging her to find the beauty in life after remission. A face of glowing skin and mile-long lashes never hurt, but our community is at the heart of everything we do. And when you find a group of silver sisters to support you in this bittersweet thing we call life, you’re basically all set! Carrie also has her own Instagram account which serves as a digital diary to other women like her, and it’s nothing less than inspiring.
“My advice to anyone finding themselves….take time to heal, learn about what makes you who you are, and decide who you’re hoping to become,”
Carrie has followed her own guidance to a tee. From advocating for her own health for diagnosis, to giving herself grace and patience during her healing process, and eventually becoming a new, reformed version of herself, she’s beaten breast cancer in every way a woman could.
And now, she’s ready to see other women do the same! Even if life throws you a curveball, a baseball enthusiast like Carrie will be there to help you get over these hurdles and eventually hit it out of the park. And there’s no greater home run for your health, happiness, and growing collection of pro-age makeup.
Follow Carrie on Instagram through @pink_curveball, or email
info@primeprometics.com for general inquiries.
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