When Layne Horwich found a lump on her breast while changing into her nightgown, she didn’t panic. At 100 years old, living independently and still keeping up with her own grocery shopping, hair appointments and manicures, she simply told a family member the next day.

“If there’s a lump, you check it out,” she told TODAY.com in an interview.

That simple but decisive action led to a Stage 1 breast cancer diagnosis — her first ever. What could have been devastating was, for Horwich, another chapter in a long life defined by clarity, grace and forward motion.

A Diagnosis at 100 — and a Bold Decision

The diagnosis followed a mammogram that confirmed a slow-growing tumor. She hadn’t had a mammogram in years, ever since her longtime gynecologist retired. But once the tumor was detected, Horwich saw it differently than many might expect.

“I know for younger women to hear that they have breast cancer is devastating,” she said. “But for me, at my age, I’d heard that it didn’t grow very quickly — plus I was so happy not to have a stroke or heart attack, which would have incapacitated me.”

Dr. Catherine Pesce, a breast surgical oncologist at Endeavor Health, had never treated a 100-year-old breast cancer patient. She was struck by Horwich’s composure.

“I just knew she would do well because she’s so strong,” Pesce told TODAY.com.

Horwich was offered three options: do nothing, take hormone therapy or undergo a lumpectomy. She didn’t hesitate.

“I just wanted it out of me,” she said. “I didn’t want it to stay there.”

Hormone therapy — which could slow the tumor’s growth — was ruled out immediately. “Her hair is very clearly part of her identity and what’s important to her,” Dr. Pesce explained. Horwich put it more simply: “I’m just lucky I still have a good head of hair. I don’t want to lose that.”

With doctors deeming her fit for anesthesia, Horwich underwent surgery in August 2024.

“You wouldn’t have known I had anything done that day,” she recalled, leaving the hospital flanked by her daughters.

Now, at 101, she is cancer-free.

A Life Built on Movement, Connection and Choice

Horwich credits her longevity not to genetics — her parents lived to 72 and 80 — but to staying active and engaged. She played tennis until age 92, regularly climbs stairs to her apartment and still walks briskly.

“It’s important to exercise, to keep moving — and not necessarily strenuous exercise, but just the fact that you keep moving,” she said.

Mental stimulation is just as important. Horwich plays cards and mahjong three or four times a week with friends.

“Because I think it’s good for my brain,” she said.

Experts agree that games like these support cognitive function and reduce isolation, particularly in older adults.

But her health isn’t just physical or mental — it’s social.

“I always was very social, always had friends and [was] out to dinner and lunch,” she said. Her advice: “Just keep busy and have a lot of contacts, friends.”

Balance Over Perfection

Despite her active lifestyle, Horwich doesn’t follow a strict diet or wellness routine.

“I can’t rave about my diet because I don’t love vegetables,” she said.

She described herself as a “meat and potatoes girl” who enjoys milk chocolate and dessert in moderation.

“I nibble,” she added with a smile.

She began drinking socially later in life and never smoked. Today, she avoids alcohol entirely to reduce the risk of falls.

Though her demeanor is calm, her focus is intentional. Her daughter, Nancy Rothstein, described her as “very even-keeled,” and not one to multitask.

“She really is focused on what she’s doing — sort of old-fashioned in that way,” Rothstein said.

A Message to Others: Care for Yourself, Always

Horwich now gets regular mammograms and hopes her story reminds others — of any age — not to delay their care.

“If I can help anybody, to remind them to take care of themselves, that’s important to me,” she said.

Her story is a quiet but powerful reminder: Life can be long, beautiful and full of second chances — even at 100.

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