Going through breast cancer has pushed me to do things I never thought I would. A significant part of that newfound freedom comes from the influence of a famous icon and fellow breast cancer survivor, Kathy Bates. My youngest daughter has witnessed how drastically my life has changed since my breast cancer diagnosis. In contrast, my other children seem to struggle to understand what living past breast cancer is like. The star of the battle was Kathy Bates, one of my favorite actresses and a breast cancer icon.