Chance Meeting of 3 Women in Yoga Class Leads to Thousands Raised for Cancer Patients

Every part of Mahsa Behmaram’s life was going to plan.

She enjoyed traveling the world and had a tech sales job that she was passionate about. Behmaran also maintained a physically fit lifestyle, doing pilates and yoga. She considered herself as healthy as one can be. 

But some things were out of her control.

One day while showering, Behmaram noticed a lump in her breast and immediately knew something was off. Her intuitions were correct. It was breast cancer. 

“When I found this out in June 2020 I just thought, 'Thank God I traveled’ and I was so grateful,” recalls Behmaram. "I wasn't angry. Just heartbroken."

Behmaram threw herself into educating herself about her prognosis and her options for treatment. She chose to have a single mastectomy followed by breast reconstruction, something equally as important to her as defeating the cancer.

“I wasn't focused on cancer at all,” recalls Behmaram. “I know that's not normal, maybe. But I really wanted to look like myself and yes. It was really important to feel like I didn't lose myself."

For her reconstruction, Behmaram chose to have it done by Dr. Kamakshi Zeider, of Aesthetx. Behmaram was thrilled with the outcome but what she couldn't have known is that her connection to Dr. Zeidler would end up going well beyond the operating room.

One year after her surgery, while taking a pilates class at Yoga Source in Los Gatos, Behmaram recognized the woman on a nearby mat. It was Dr. Zeidler.  “Sitting right in front of me. I was so excited and I went over to her and she got excited. We are all connected more than we know."

Dr. Zeidler was just as surprised and enthralled to see Mahsa. “I'm like, 'Oh my gosh Mahsa!' And she's wearing this cute little workout outfit and of course we took some selfies.”

But there was a third connection to breast cancer in the studio: class instructor Linda McGrath’s mother had recently survived a bout with breast cancer. 

“It affects all of us. All of us,” said McGrath. “Many of us have had scares. Lying awake sleepless awaiting results. Gotten away with it. It's just the Russian roulette of our lives."

Behmaram, McGrath, and Dr. Zeidler took this connection they all had, in different ways, to breast cancer as a sign. A sign, not just that so many women are touched by breast cancer, but that they should combine their resources to help other cancer patients.

On Friday, Oct. 21, the three women held a special fundraising class that brought in more than $4,000 for the non-profit Cancer Care Point. 

"We wanted to send this message to the people who are going through it right now, they're not alone. We very much care and we are on this journey with you. We will support you any way we can."