Jordan Collins was born and raised in Birmingham, and graduated from Ramsay IB High School. She is 20 years old and a junior at the University of Alabama majoring in management information systems.

"Education and career growth are very important to me, but family is at the center of my life," says Jordan.

One of the brightest parts of her world is her 5-year-old little brother.

"He’s my best friend, my motivation and a constant reminder of joy, laughter and love," says Jordan.

In November 2024, Jordan was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ breast cancer. At just 19 years old, hearing the words “you have breast cancer” was devastating and overwhelming.

"It’s something you never expect to face so young," says Jordan. "I struggled to make sense of it all, especially because breast cancer at my age is so rare and almost unheard of."

In January 2025, she underwent a bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction, followed later by revision surgery. The process was painful—physically, emotionally and mentally.

"There were days when I felt like I was losing parts of myself that defined who I was," says Jordan.

But cancer also revealed a strength in her that she didn’t know existed.  She says it forced her to slow down, reflect and rebuild—not just her body, but also her spirit and perspective on life. "I learned to embrace my scars as symbols of survival, to celebrate every 'win' no matter how small, and to never take a single day for granted," Jordan says.