An interview with Alli Hobbs, WISDOM participant & champion

When an email from UCLA Health landed in her inbox, Alli Hobbs almost ignored it. But the subject line—breast cancer screening research opportunity—caught her eye. Lately, breast cancer awareness had been on her mind, thanks in part to public figure Katie Thurston, who had been remarkably open about her own recent breast cancer diagnosis. The timing was impactful.

“I’d been thinking more about my own health, so when I saw the WISDOM Study email, it felt like the perfect chance to be proactive and contribute to something bigger than myself.”

Alli’s family history of breast cancer included just one case—her grandmother, who had been treated for DCIS with a lumpectomy many years ago. It never felt like a major red flag. But hearing Katie talk about discovering a genetic mutation for breast cancer without any family history made her reconsider what she thought she knew about risk.

“Her story really made me want to learn more,” she said.

Joining the WISDOM Study, she discovered, was refreshingly simple: sign up, receive the kit, mail it back. Before Alli knew it, her results arrived—more quickly than she expected—and with them, a sense of reassurance and empowerment.

“It felt good knowing I was doing something both for myself and for research that could help other women, too.”

Inspired, she shared the study with her family. Then, on a whim, she sent Katie Thurston a DM with the link. She didn’t think much of it—Katie receives thousands of messages, after all. But one day, she opened her notifications to see the unlikely: Katie had seen it. And shared it. Many times.

What happened next amazed Alli. The Marketing lead from the WISDOM team reached out to tell her that Katie’s posts led to months of surges of new participants—thousands of young women who, like her, wanted to learn their risk for breast cancer, get support, and receive personalized guidance on breast cancer screening.

“I was blown away,” she said. “I never expected my little message to turn into something so meaningful.”

Today, Alli feels grateful—grateful to Katie for amplifying the message, grateful to the WISDOM community for making research accessible, and grateful for the chance to take charge of her own health in a new, informed way.

“It’s been a really special experience,” she said. “It’s inspired me to look for more opportunities to make a positive impact.”

For her, what began as curiosity became a powerful reminder: sometimes the smallest action—opening an email, sharing a link, speaking up—can spark something that reaches far beyond ourselves.