Emma and her mom.
As a proactive health measure, Emma underwent a double mastectomy. Her story captured the hearts of many on TikTok, where she shared tender moments with her mother—echoes of familial warmth from her past.
“I had a 50/50 chance of inheriting the gene, so I was not surprised when my test came back positive,” Emma shared with PEOPLE, detailing her personal battle against the elevated risks of breast and ovarian cancer that the mutation predisposes.
Now 27, Emma found herself at a crossroads: undergo surgery before starting a family or wait until after. Trusting her instincts, she made the daunting—but clear—decision to proceed with a prophylactic double mastectomy.
Emma elaborates on the internal tug-of-war she faced:
“Something in my gut was telling me that I needed to do this now, and I couldn’t shake the urgent feeling. In a strange way, it was the hardest decision I’ve had to make, yet also the easiest because I knew it was the right one.”
With the surgery behind her, she’s now preparing for another procedure later in the year as part of her reconstruction journey.
“I decided to undergo reconstruction, so I currently have expanders in,” she explains. The repeated expansions are leading toward her desired size, with final surgery scheduled for September.
Throughout the process, Emma found comfort in her mother, who crossed state lines to be by her side during recovery. Together, they revived an old family tradition: enjoying Slurpees after medical appointments—an ordinary joy now imbued with extraordinary meaning.
“The tradition of getting Slurpees started when I was 6 or 7 years old,” Emma recalls, painting scenes of childhood trips to the neighborhood 7-Eleven, especially after orthodontic visits with her mom.
Beyond braces and errands, these Slurpee stops embodied the quiet but meaningful bond between them—a bond Emma honored in her viral TikTok capturing a fresh post-op Slurpee run.
“I’m 27, she just took me to my post-op appointment for my double mastectomy, and then took me here,” she wrote, reflecting how even simple routines hold new significance in adulthood. In a home bustling with four closely-aged siblings, that moment stood out.
Emma reflects,
“The most valuable thing anyone has is time. I thought to myself, ‘When am I ever going to get my mom all to myself for two whole weeks?’ I knew I needed to cherish this time.”
Their unexpected online fame amused them both. “She didn’t even know what TikTok was until I made the video,” Emma’s mother admitted, finding humor in the touching response they received.
The post’s hundreds of comments were steeped in shared childhood joys. “Several moms commented, saying they didn’t realize how much a small thing like that mattered to their kids, but now they will continue to do their ‘silly’ traditions,” Emma said, touched by strangers’ recollections.
One commenter shared how she comforted her four-year-old son, who’s fighting leukemia, with donuts after each doctor’s visit. Another quietly sent her a gift card, highlighting the compassion rooted in shared experience.
Emma contemplates these responses:
“I think we all forget how special the little things are. It made me appreciate still having my mom around,” she said, expressing deep gratitude for the emotional anchor by her side.
Her journey—marked by difficult decisions, recovery, and reflection—has also become a beacon for others. Through her shared experiences, she hopes to offer the same kind of supportive community that once cradled her.
“Before my mastectomy, I tried to watch as many videos as I could. I wanted to know what it would feel like, what it would look like—anything to prepare myself,” she recalls, highlighting the power of storytelling and shared experience.
At the intersection of young adulthood and life-altering choice, Emma Backstein now stands ready to comfort and guide others facing similar moments—one heartfelt story at a time.
