Breast cancer has already taken too much from Ellen Gregory, and she was determined to put an end to it.

The 26-year-old horse trainer from Columbus lost her mother, Dawn Gregory, to breast cancer the week of Thanksgiving 2015. Dawn had just turned 50 years old. That same week, Dawn’s sister, who was in her mid-40s, died from breast cancer. “It was a tough week,” she says.

Ellen had watched her aunt battle breast cancer for seven years; her mother for three. She was determined it wasn’t going to happen to her if she could help it.

While showering one day, she discovered a lump and immediately scheduled a mammogram. Because the lump was suspicious, her mammogram was followed by a breast ultrasound, then a breast MRI and biopsy. “The biopsy was clear, but they couldn’t tell if the spot might eventually become a problem,” she says. “It was scary after everything I had watched my Mom go through.”

At age 22 with a strong family history of breast cancer, Ellen underwent genetic testing. She tested positive for BRCA2, putting her at increased risk of developing certain cancers. Armed with this knowledge, she wanted to take action immediately—but her doctors in Columbus felt she was too young. “I was not happy with that answer,” she says.

So, Ellen sought answers elsewhere. She made an appointment with Dr. Danny Sanders at North Mississippi Medical Center Breast and General Surgery Clinic in Tupelo. “Dr. Sanders said, ‘You don’t have a cake yet, but you have all the ingredients,’” she says. “In other words, he was saying it was just a matter of time.”

While the news wasn’t great, Ellen says she finally felt validated. “I’ve always been very proactive,” she says. “I was so relieved to finally find someone who took me seriously and was on board with my decision.”

In January, Dr. Sanders removed both of her breasts with a procedure known as nipple sparing mastectomy, which removes the entire breast through a small incision, saving the nipple, areolar complex and skin. In April, Dr. Robert Buckley performed reconstructive surgery with a permanent implant.

“Although I wanted the double mastectomy, I was concerned about how I would look,” she says. “But I love the way my breasts look now, and I don’t have to worry about my health on top of that!”

With her biggest threat handled, Ellen will follow up with a breast MRI in five years and then every three years after that.

“It’s the best decision I have ever made,” she says. “It’s the best feeling to wake up every day and not wonder if today is the day I’m going to find a lump.”

Ellen’s advice to other women is this: be your own advocate. “The doctors mean the best, but you know your body,” she says. “You need to push to get what makes you feel best.”