Oct. 26, 2015, 12:33 PM GMT / Updated Oct. 26, 2015, 12:32 PM GMT By Monica Luhar

In April 2009, Elizabeth OuYang discovered a lump on her breast in the shower and was instantly reminded of her mother, who battled breast cancer silently. Anxiety flooded her mind as she tried to piece things together.

“I went to the doctor’s and they confirmed I had breast cancer," OuYang, a civil rights attorney, told NBC News. "I constantly was thinking about my mom and whether I was going to have my mom’s fate…I really thought I was going to die like my mom.”

OuYang said she didn't want to battle the disease behind closed doors, but finding Asian-American women she could talk to was a herculean task.

“It took me the longest time to realize that talking about breast cancer doesn’t define me. What I’ve done is what defines me."

Her family had referred her to Caucasian women who shed insight on what it was like to get chemotherapy for the first time, or what it was like to enroll in a laughing class to relieve some of the stress in between treatments. As much as OuYang appreciated their honest advice, she yearned to speak and connect with other Asian-American women.

“I really wanted to speak to other Asian-American women who also had breast cancer in part because there are certain cultural similarities and would understand some of my fears and thoughts in decisions I would have to make,” OuYang, who has been cancer-free since October 2009, said.

She perused the aisles of many bookstores in Boston and New York, but was frustrated when she couldn’t find many books on how to deal with breast cancer as an Asian-American woman.

Now, six years after her diagnosis, OuYang has launched Plum Blossoms, a blog for Asian-American women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer to tell their stories. “Plum Blossoms was started because there needs to be an avenue for Asian women with breast cancer who want to express their fears, ambitions, and experiences in a safe manner that respects family harmony and empowers Asian-American women living with breast cancer," she said.

OuYang initially began the project with the hopes of launching a book, but decided that a blog would give people the opportunity to feel more comfortable about sending anonymous submissions.

OuYang traveled to California and Boston, recording oral histories and connecting with Asian-American women who shared their triumphs, their weaknesses, and their fears during their journey. She also reached out to the Asian Pacific Islander American Health Forum in California and the APA Institute at New York University to find Asian-American women with breast cancer who were willing to share their stories on her blog. Two of the women she has interviewed include Linda I, a Japanese American astrologer and Mai Tran, a refugee from Vietnam.

The title of the blog represents the number of Asian-American women affected by breast cancer, juxtaposed with the symbol of the plum blossom, “an Asian flower that can grow in the winter and survive four seasons.” For OuYang, the plum blossom represents the strength and determination of Asian-American women and is dedicated to her mother, who battled cancer silently, and to one of her friends, "whose public battle with breast cancer challenged cultural norms."

A Growing Trend

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, breast cancer is the second leading cause of death from cancer among white, black, Asian/Pacific Islander (API), and American Indian/Alaska Native women. Chien-Chi Huang, executive director at Asian Women for Health and founder of the Asian Breast Cancer Project, told NBC News she is concerned about the lack of resources and cancer education dedicated to the API community.