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As a trailblazer in the world of sports journalism, Hannah Storm has always known exactly what to say on camera. But when she received a breast cancer diagnosis in January 2024, the legendary journalist was lost for words.

“It really came as a shock,” Storm, 62, tells Yahoo Life. “It was something out of the blue.”

Storm was diagnosed with non-invasive ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a breast cancer in which cells that line the milk ducts of the breast become cancerous. Even though she had no symptoms or family history of breast cancer, Storm has always mindful about her health. She had more than 20 mammograms and ultrasounds over the years, and “absolutely nothing had come up.” But this time, her physicians detected a problem.

In the year since her diagnosis, Storm has channeled her experience into being an advocate for early detection, raising greater awareness of hereditary cancers and the crucial role of genetic testing. Here’s a look at the lessons Storm has learned on the cancer journey that transformed her life.

Preventative screenings saved her life

“Had I not been really good about my yearly screening, I never would have known it was there,” Storm says.

At the beginning of 2024, Storm had a biopsy and received her official cancer diagnosis soon after. Storm turned to her friend, tennis legend Chris Evert, who battled ovarian cancer and underwent a preventative double mastectomy due to having the BRCA1 variant. Evert connected Storm to her doctor, Dr. Elisa Port, whom she called right away.

“She said, ‘You’re not going to die from this,’” Storm recalls. “And right away, I was like, ‘Wow, thank you.’ Just hearing those words was pretty powerful.”

Always one to establish a game plan, Storm wanted to know the next best steps to take, including undergoing a lumpectomy. When her physician broached the subject of genetic testing, Storm admitted she didn’t really know what that was. But when asked about her family history, she didn’t have many answers to provide besides her father’s death from cancer. She’s not alone: A survey conducted by Myriad Genetics in 2022 found that although half of women (51%) say they have no family history of breast or ovarian cancer, many are not sure if that’s true.

Storm says she “was just so blown away by the fact that it was just a simple blood test and all the incredible amount of information that resulted from that.”

Know your risks

Early detection saved Storm’s life, and she’s hoping to empower others to practice that same diligence. Just a year after her own diagnosis, Storm has also teamed up with Myriad Genetics’s MyRisk with RiskScore hereditary cancer test to get educated on the importance of understanding your risk for hereditary cancers and how to get tested. The test evaluates 48 genes to help identify patients’ risk of developing 11 types of hereditary cancer.

While Storm understands that some people might be reluctant to learn about their risk, she views it as a way of taking control of one’s future. “I think people are like, ‘Well, I don’t want to know. It’s super scary,’” she says. “I look at it as, well, it’s super empowering.”

Those who find out that they’re at a heightened risk level shouldn’t panic, however. Instead, Storm says that’s the time to practice diligence.

“That gives you a game plan for you and your health care provider. You have the science there, you know what your risk level is,” she says. “Do you need to be hyper vigilant now? Even as a young person, do you need to undergo screening? Should you be having mammograms at a young age?”

Storm will pass what she learned on to her three daughters, who she says will be undergoing the Myriad test.

Treat your health appointments with urgency

Storm says it’s essential to stick to a rigorous preventative care schedule.

“One of the things I learned is how many people don’t prioritize themselves, especially women and their own health,” she says, noting that she treats her health appointments with the same urgency as business matters. “Moms are working, taking care of kids or taking care of their parents. We tend to take care of everybody else but put ourselves last.”

Storm says that it takes a “family effort,” and frequently tells the male athletes she works with to urge their wives and girlfriends to maintain their health appointments. “Whatever you have to do, just help her out,” she tells them. “Nobody is an island.”

A healthy diet and exercise regimen are also things that Storm focuses on. Always a fan of exercise, Storm relies on a daily weight-lifting routine, “which is really important for your bone health.” A hip replacement just a couple of months after her breast cancer surgery has required a lot of physical therapy, but Storm also enjoys cycling and walking.

Her cancer diagnosis also made her more aware of the danger of processed foods. However, she’s always been “pretty healthy. I try not to abuse my health all the time.”

Advocate for yourself

Storm’s willingness to advocate for herself throughout her cancer journey is reflective of her experience navigating the world of sports journalism, which hasn’t always been hospitable to women.

“I took a lot of abuse,” Storm says of her early days in sports. “I definitely did the best I could at the time, but the one thing that I did not let it do was defeat me. I was like, ‘You are not going to run me out of this or turn me away from following my dreams. It’s not going to happen.’ I would never give somebody like that that kind of agency and power over my life.”

Though she’s faced a lot of obstacles in her ambition to make it in sports journalism, Storm is now grateful that she was able to “knock down some doors and smash some ceilings, and just provide a sort of a reference for women in terms of what the viable career options look like in sports.”

Storm won’t be in attendance at the Super Bowl this weekend. However, she will be enjoying the big game the way she always does: hosting a Super Bowl party at her home.

“I would like to see history,” she says. “So I think would be cool to see Kansas City three-peat!”