She Watched Her Mom Fight Breast Cancer. Now She’s Giving It The Boot.
Keep A Breast co-founder’s daughter shares story of growing up in the movement, and as a co-survivor
For our latest Keep A Breast Shop release, “Give Cancer The Boot,” a western-inspired collection, we wanted to tell the story of what we hope this collection means to anyone affected by breast cancer – survivors, co-survivors, early detection advocates and beyond. We reached out to Keep A Breast co-founder Mona Mukherjea-Gehrig’s daughter, Mia, whose life has been touched not only by the power of horseback riding and western culture, but shaped through perseverance, understanding and self-advocacy in the face of breast cancer, having watched her mom fight the disease as she grew up. This interview shares Mia’s thoughts around watching her mom advocate for breast cancer early detection as well as experience breast cancer, and what the Give Cancer The Boot collection means to her.
What’s your earliest memory of understanding what Keep A Breast was about and what your mom was building?
My earliest memories of KAB are from being a little kid at the booths at Warped Tour, Paws Fur Pink, and Pride. At the time, I remember running around at a few when I was younger and didn’t fully understand the mission, but I could feel the energy as well as the community. I remember watching people light up when they were talking to my mom or the other volunteers. Watching strangers suddenly feel seen and supported warms my heart to this day.
Even as a child, I knew she was creating something powerful. KAB felt like a safe place for people to connect, learn, and heal together. Looking back now, I realize I was witnessing a movement being built right in front of me.
How did growing up as the daughter of a breast cancer survivor shape the way you think about health, your body, or taking care of yourself?
Growing up with a mom who is a breast cancer survivor has shaped everything about how I view my body and my health. It made breast health feel real to me at a young age, not something distant but something that mattered now.
I’ve always felt this quiet sense of responsibility to take care of myself, to check myself, to pay attention to the small things.Seeing my mom fight something that can be so scary taught me a deep appreciation for my body, for the people I love, and for time itself. It made me realize how fragile life can be so it is important to live it fully, love deeply, and not hold back. Because everything can change in the blink of an eye.
This awareness has become part of who I am.
What’s something your mom taught you directly or by example about facing hard things?
My mom taught me what strength really looks like. Not the loud and obvious kind but the quiet, steady, keep going even when you're scared. Watching her face cancer and keep fighting showed me how to move through life’s hardest moments with courage.
She taught me that you don’t have to be fearless to keep going, you just have to take it one step at a time. Her resilience became the example I carry with me: when life hits hard, you don’t shrink and take it. You breathe, and find something positive to hold onto to help you keep pushing through. She taught me that even the toughest moments can shape you into something stronger.
Mia’s mom, KAB co-founder Mona Mukherjea-Gehrig, shared this with us: “She started horseback riding while I was going through my cancer treatments and was able to conquer fear through riding. Riding and taking care of horses has definitely taught her strength, patience and resilience.”
Tell me about your relationship with horses and western culture. What does the community mean to you?
I don’t ride western anymore but have always been drawn to it. My relationship with my horse is one of the most grounding parts of my life.
She’s more than a hobby, she is my partner, my escape, and a source of healing. Horses have a way of sensing your emotions without you even saying a word, and being around her feels like therapy in itself.
When I’m riding everything else quiets down: the stress, the noise, the distractions. The barn is a place where I can breathe deeper, slow down, and feel connected again. The equine community, even across disciplines, is full of people who understand that bond. People who love unconditionally, support each other, and find joy in the simple moments. It’s a place where you can show up exactly as you are at times.
Who do you picture wearing pieces from the collection AND what do you hope it means to them?
I picture anyone who understands resilience to sport this brand, anyone who’s had to get back up after life knocked them down. This collection is witty and beautiful, but it also carries a deeper message.
In riding, when you fall or get bucked off you learn to get back on not because it’s easy. Survival is the same. Healing is the same. Life is the same. I hope that when someone wears these pieces they feel that strength within themselves.
I hope it reminds them that even in the hardest moments they’re capable of rising up, trying again, and moving forward. Whether it’s on horseback or in life.
I hope the message helps someone feel seen, empowered, and never alone.
100% of proceeds from the Give Cancer The Boot collection, and all merchandise from the Keep A Breast Shop support KAB’s early detection and prevention programs, including the Keep A Breast App - making self-checks free and accessible to people worldwide.