BYU community rallies around ballerina diagnosed with breast cancer

PROVO — At just 27 years old, Maile Johnson never expected to face breast cancer on top of being an assistant director, teacher and graduate student.

Johnson performed with BYU Theatre Ballet for five years while completing her undergraduate degree. Now an assistant director for the company, she is about halfway through her master's in choreography program at Jacksonville University while also teaching pilates and ballet at BYU as an adjunct faculty member.

At the beginning of February, Johnson was diagnosed with Stage 2 invasive ductile carcinoma.

"There was a lot of anxiety with the waiting period. I started getting testing done in beginning of January, and it was a month of doing tests and 'maybe, maybe, maybe,' then finally getting diagnosed beginning of February," said Johnson. "It was like weeks of we don't know what's happening, and that limbo state was honestly super hard."

After watching a full-time ballet faculty member just recently go through breast cancer, Johnson thought she was prepared for what lay ahead of her.

"Mine is a little bit different of a cancer, and because I'm so young, the cancer treatment is quite aggressive. So what I thought was going to be a really tough month of surgery and recovery is actually going to be surgery, five months of chemo, a month of radiation, reconstruction — we're in for the long haul, probably at least over a year. So that's really hard," she said.

Johnson received her treatment plan last week and said she finally knows what to expect.

"It's gonna suck, but I know what to plan for. I know what kind of suck it is," she joked. "I'm feeling more hopeful and positive and more reassured now that I know what's coming for me."

Kallie Owens, another adjunct faculty member who is close friends with Johnson, said the first thing she thought of after learning of Johnson's diagnosis was a fundraiser.

"That was kind of my first thought when she told me because I know her, and I know her insurance is terrible," Owens said. "I had never done a GoFundMe so I was really happy with the results so far. I didn't know what to expect."

Within hours of Owens posting the fundraiser,* it was being shared all across social media by people connected to BYU ballet. In the last 10 days, the GoFundMe has raised more than $15,000. People who didn't even know Johnson were donating, including dozens of former BYU Theatre Ballet alumni.

"They really came together, which I think is amazing," Owens said. "It's really been cool to see how giving people are."

Between the surgery, chemotherapy and other expenses, any bit of money donated is appreciated as it keeps Johnson afloat so she can focus on healing rather than worrying about money, Owens said.

Johnson has been overwhelmed by the support of the community. She said it's been "incredible and mind-blowing" to feel the support, and each time someone she knew shared the fundraiser on social media, she would start crying again.

"It's inspired me to be a more giving person ... seeing people drop like $500 when we might not even be that close ... like wow, this is like my note to self to just be much more giving," Johnson said.

Johnson's cousin also organized a community garage sale and bake sale to help raise funds for Johnson's cancer treatments. The event will be on April 25 at Lone Peak High School.

Owens said Johnson has "really pulled me through hard things," and so she wants to do the same for her. Owens and other faculty members will be taking over Johnson's classes once she has surgery later this month.

"She's a very loyal friend, very hard worker and very giving in like friendship. She's always there for me, and she's just awesome," Owens said.

Johnson has connected with other women who have gone through breast cancer before and found so much support in her ballet community. Because ballet is a team sport where people share the same experiences and spend many hours together, it cultivates a strong bond, she said.

"You really get to know the people you are with and care about them. You push them, and they push you to progress. I've seen that outside the ballet studio, too. I'm seeing it right now — everyone is coming to support me and help me because they care about me, and I'm a team player in this sport of life," Johnson said.

Owens said she has been impressed with how positive Johnson has been through it all, finding the balance of feeling the weight of it yet still getting back up.

"I spiraled for like a month and a half, I was in the deep depths, and it was horrible and I still have those days. ... But it's really important to have that perspective shift and try to be positive. Not to say I'm skipping on rainbows and having a great time, but our mindset is so important," Johnson said.

Going into the dance studio and losing herself in the art has been "a godsend" for Johnson. She appreciates the support she is receiving, but it's also a relief to step into a class and not focus on herself, she said.

"It's been so good for me to be able to zone in when I get to the studio and focus on helping my students," she said. "It's heavy and it's a lot ... being in the studio is a time I can turn it back and be like, 'This is all about my students, and how I can help them?' and it's really fulfilling for me."

*KSL.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisers and otherwise proceed at your own risk.

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