Kristin Juszczyk, wife of San Francisco 49ers‘ fullback, Kyle Juszczyk, has long been a strong voice for breast-health awareness. The reason is deeply personal: She lost her mother to breast cancer at just 18. Since then, Kristin has turned that pain into purpose, using her platform to spread awareness and encourage early screening.

However, on Wednesday, October 8, Kristin shared a worrying health update after she got her first mammogram. “I actually have like a little lump that’s bothering me,” she said in a post shared via her Instagram handle.

“So, I just want to be super transparent on here because I know so many people suffered through it. So many people have lumps that they ignore, so you can never start too young. I had a little bit of like emotional reaction that I wasn’t expecting, but it just kind of triggered me a little bit, but it’s not painful. It’s just a little uncomfortable. I’m a little red and irritated.”

Kristin shared that the lump wasn’t exactly painful, just a bit uncomfortable, but still stressed the importance of getting checked as early as possible. She reminded young women that it’s never too early to start screening, pointing out that early detection can make all the difference with survival rates as high as 99% when caught early.

She added, “If you’ve been putting it off, let this be your sign that it’s time to take action. Make the appointment. Go bring your best friend. Grab a cup of coffee after. Let’s make the breast health something we talk about and celebrate. You’re strong, you’re smart, you got this.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, breast cancer steals the lives of over 42,000 women every year in the U.S. alone. So, it’s easy to see why Kristin Juszczyk is so passionate about urging early screenings. But behind those pleas? There’s a deeper ache.

How Kristin Juszczyk turned personal loss into advocacy

Kristin Juszczyk’s advocacy for breast cancer awareness is deeply personal. The 49ers’ fullback’s wife lost her mother while she was still in high school on Long Island. Although her mother’s breast cancer was initially treated, it recurred, and she eventually passed away.

That experience is exactly what drives Kristin today, which is why she partnered with Novartis on the Understand eBC Risk campaign to raise awareness about early breast cancer and the importance of proactive screenings. Back in September 2024, she opened up about her grief journey in an Instagram reel.

“Even as I saw her cancer come back again and again, I always thought was going to be okay,” she shared. Unfortunately, her mom’s cancer returned again and again before eventually taking her life. Partnering with Novartis, she highlighted that 1 in 3 early breast cancer survivors face recurrence.

“Mom was diagnosed with cancer before I really even knew the world. It was when I was a baby. She had cancer my whole life. She was in and out of remission,” she said in a conversation with The Healthy in September 2024. Since then, Kristin has made it a mission to empower young women about breast cancer and early screening through education and doctor dialogues.