Kelly Hyland had a feeling something wasn't quite right.
The Dance Moms star recently reflected on the signs that led her to see her doctor before her breast cancer diagnosis.
"The first red flag was my significant weight loss," Kelly explained in an exclusive interview with E! News. "I lost enough that others noticed and would ask for my dieting hacks, but there was nothing I had changed in my day-to-day to cause the loss."
Then, she found a lump in her breast in March.
"I booked myself a mammogram," the 53-year-old, who encourages others to do breast self-exams, continued. "I had just had one done eight months prior and the results came back clean. However, this new mammogram and sonogram did not, it came back showing a mass."
Weeks after first finding the lump, Kelly was diagnosed with invasive carcinoma stage 1, grade 3. As she noted to E!, she's on her second of six initial chemotherapy treatments, and she plans to undergo surgery, radiation and 11 more treatments.
However, she knows she isn't fighting her cancer battle alone. Her children—daughters and Dance Moms alums Brooke Hyland, 26, and Paige Hyland, 23, as well as son Josh Hyland, 25—have been there for her.
"She is the strongest woman I know and I am confident that she will come out on top of this and I will be there every step of the way," Brooke told E!. "She has so much love and support in her corner!"
This support also comes from their Dance Moms costars. After Kelly informed fans of her diagnosis, several of her former castmates sent along kind messages.
"Love you so much!" Melissa Gisoni, mom to Maddie Ziegler and Kenzie Ziegler, commented underneath Kelly's Instagram post announcing the news. "You got this, and we got you!" Added Kendall Vertes' mom Jill Vertes, "You're so strong Kelly! Keep it up we are all here for you."
To learn more about Kelly's cancer journey, keep reading.
A Stunning Diagnosis
Just eight months after getting the all-clear, "I found a lump in my breast and booked myself a mammogram," Dance Moms alum Kelly Hyland revealed in an exclusive interview with E! News. Diagnosed with invasive carcinoma grade 3 this spring, she added, "I was shocked that it had grown that quickly."
Her Support Squad
With her kids Brooke Hyland, Josh Hyland and Paige Hyland alternating who accompanies her to chemotherapy appointments, Kelly has a solid team in place. As Josh told E! News, "I know my mom is strong enough to get through this."
Livin' Off the Dance Floor
Kelly's support system includes not just her three kids, but their entire Dance Moms family.
Currently taping her podcasts Back to the Barre (with Chloé Lukasiak's mom Christi Lukasiak) and Dear Dance Mom... (with Maddie Ziegler and Kenzie Ziegler's mom Melissa Gisoni, Nia Sioux's mom Holly Frazier and Kendall Vertes' mom Jill Vertes) "all of my former costars are aware of what is going on," Kelly shared. "I’m very lucky to have such great friends and a flexible job that allows me to keep some normalcy during all of this."
Her Treatment Plan
Currently on her second of six rounds of chemotherapy, Kelly will follow those treatments with surgery and radiation. "Then 11 more chemotherapy treatments," she shared. "I have a long journey ahead!"
A Secret Weapon
In the hopes of preserving her hair, Kelly has been using scalp cooling system Amma during treatments. The cap "cools the scalp to a low temperature so that the blood vessels contract, reducing the blood flow to the hair follicles," she explained. "This limits the amount of chemo drugs to the hair follicles and reduces hair loss. Let's hope it works!"
Shopping for a New Style
Paige and Brooke were on hand for Kelly's appointment at Pittsburgh's Serenity Wig Salon. "Both the salon and my girls being there with me made me feel comfortable and more confident," she explained, "as the thought of losing my hair has been hard for me."
Her New Strands
Kelly walked away from her time at Serenity Wig Salon feeling confident in her choice. "They’re customizing the wig I chose to fit my head, coloring and styling it to my liking," she revealed of the winning look, "and even added some baby hairs for a more realistic look."
Her Chemo Crew
Kelly's kids and her sister Carrie Matarazzo are taking turns accompanying her to the treatments, which can last upwards of 10 hours. "They are very long days," Kelly explained, "so I don’t want to put that responsibility on just one person."
Source of Strength
"My children get me through the hard moments," Kelly said. And they inspire her to keep fighting for their shared future.
"I keep telling myself that I need to be strong for them," she explained. "I want to get healthy and onto the other side of this, so I can be there with my kids on their wedding days, to hold their children, and for every next step in their lives."
Mother of the Bride
Brooke's May engagement to account manager Brian Thalman has proven to be "a great distraction," said Kelly, who's all in on wedding planning.
"I couldn’t be prouder of my daughters and my son," she added. "Despite all of the craziness that they have experienced throughout their childhood, they’ve all grown into mature, humble, fun-loving adults. They’re the best kids I could ask for and I’m beyond grateful to have them in my corner during all of this and beyond!"