Laura’s Story

Meet the Models, SoCal: Laura Tangredi

As both a physician and a breast cancer patient, Laura Tangredi found herself navigating a journey she thought she knew — only to realize how personal, emotional, and life-altering the experience truly is.

In January 2025, Laura went in for her routine mammogram, something she had done every year since turning 40. But this time, she could feel that something wasn’t right. “Even before the mammogram was read, I knew,” she recalls. “When I looked at the images, I saw something that didn’t look normal.”

A few days later, her suspicion was confirmed — it was breast cancer. Her gynecologist, Dr. Lilly Ramirez Boyd, personally called to deliver the news and then came to Laura’s house that same evening, not just with non-hormonal supplements, but with a hug and a presence that Laura says she’ll never forget. “And so my journey began.”

From Knowledge to Lived Experience

Though she works in medicine, being on the other side of the exam room was something entirely different. Laura was immediately embraced by her team at St. Joseph Cancer Center, including Nurse Navigator Angela Maria Acevedo and Dr. Hang Dang, who took the time to walk her through every detail of her diagnosis and treatment options.

Initially, she opted for a lumpectomy, but during the procedure, Dr. Dang found another suspicious area and took a biopsy. It revealed a second lesion. That news led Laura to choose a bilateral mastectomy — a decision made with tears and resolve, and one that changed everything.

She was then referred to Dr. Linda Zeineh for surgical reconstruction. “Both Dr. Dang and Dr. Zeineh combined extraordinary skill with incredible compassion,” Laura says. “They cried with me. They fought for me. I don’t know what I would’ve done without them.”

But her greatest anchor throughout it all was her husband. “His selfless giving and steady hand kept me sane and safe,” she says. “I thank God every day for him, for our family and friends, and for my entire medical team.”

Unexpected Challenges, Unmatched Support

Just a week after her second surgery, Laura faced an unexpected setback — a severe infection that required hospitalization and a third surgery to remove her expanders. “Being a patient in a hospital was overwhelming,” she shares. “I’m so used to being the provider, not the one in the bed.”

Despite the difficulty, she was once again surrounded by extraordinary care. “Doctors Zeineh, Dang, Ray, Singh, Chode — and every nurse on my team — they never let me feel alone. Their compassion carried me through.”

One especially poignant moment came early in her diagnosis. A group of Laura’s closest friends surprised her at lunch, all wearing “Team Laura” t-shirts — a simple but powerful reminder that she wasn’t in this alone. That team has remained by her side ever since.

A New Chapter Begins

Now approaching her one-year mark since diagnosis, Laura is reflecting on all that has changed — and what matters most.

“Cancer has forced me to reset my priorities,” she says. “Honestly, it’s been a blessing. I’ve renewed relationships with my husband, my children, and lifelong friends.”

She’s also found a renewed sense of purpose. As a physician, she is more passionate than ever about early detection, patient advocacy, and prevention.

“I’ve learned so much this year, and now I want to share what I know with my patients and peers. It’s time to give back.”

Presence Over Perfection

If there’s one lesson Laura hopes others carry forward, it’s the power of presence. “Be there,” she says. “Be a good listener. Let the person know you’re walking this with them. There’s nothing like having your own support team, especially during the scary and uncertain moments.”

Her advice to anyone facing breast cancer is simple but profound: “We can do so much now to treat this disease. Ask your questions. Gather your people. You are never truly alone.”

As she steps onto the runway in Southern California, Laura brings with her not just a medical background, but a deep, personal understanding of what it means to face breast cancer with grace, grit, and gratitude.