WEBSTER, N.Y. – A young, single mother diagnosed with Stage Four Metastatic Breast Cancer celebrated life while raising money for cancer research at a party in Webster on Sunday.

One year ago, 29-year-old Briana Minarik was told by doctors that she had one year to live, but since then her prognosis has been extended to five years.

“They told me a year and I’ve made it here to a year later now and I’m thankful and I appreciate all of the love and support,” Minarik said.

It’s a battle Minarik said she is winning and one that she hopes will serve as an inspiration to anyone battling breast cancer.

“It’s a struggle, but you gotta keep pushing forward and I have so much faith and so much love, I know I’m going to get through this,” Minarik said.

At Sunday’s fundraiser, Brianna’s father Dan said that the difference maker has been the love and support everyone has shown his daughter since her diagnosis.

“This is just awesome. She has, since day number one, she has so many great friends that stay overnight. Help her out,” Dan said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, about nine percent of all new breast cancer rates in the U.S. are among women under 45 years old. Minarik hopes other women will star getting mammograms well before the recommended age.

“People need to get mammograms earlier than 40 years old because if I would have gotten a mammogram earlier say by 25, I would have known that I had Stage 4 Cancer, rather than finding out in my arm,” Minarik said.

Minarik said that she found out she had breast cancer after doctors found tumors in her arm during an exam.