A Parkland mother who runs the KIDnection enrichment program for babies and caregivers says an early breast cancer diagnosis changed how she runs her business. Speech language pathologist Carly Dorfman, the company’s CEO, teaches parents ways to communicate with infants before they can talk, such as using sign language.
Last year, Dorfman, then 38, asked her doctor for a mammogram during a routine checkup. She said the doctor advised against it because routine screening is not recommended until age 40, but she insisted. The test led to a diagnosis of ductal carcinoma in situ, or DCIS, a very early form of breast cancer that can become invasive and often causes no symptoms.
Dorfman said she had a double mastectomy and ongoing surgeries, which kept her away from the business for a time. During that break, she came up with a national training program to teach other educators how to run her classes. Therapists in Colorado, California, Texas, New Jersey and several other Florida cities have signed on, according to the report.
Dorfman is back teaching at the Parkland studio and is launching an online course to help parents build language skills at home. She said she hopes her story encourages other women to speak up for their own health.
