Cancerversary #6

July 24, 2025

Six Stars Tattoo for Six Years Living with Metastatic Breast Cancer

On July 10, 2019 I found a lump in my right breast. Seventeen days later, July 24, 2019, I was told that I had breast cancer that had already spread to my bones, liver and adrenal gland. This came after 9 years of annual mammograms that were “not positive for cancer.” My most recent was 9 months before I found the lump. In 2020, the breast cancer spread to my brain.

I have received radiation for the tumor on my adrenal gland and one in my shoulder bone. I received five rounds of SRS (radiation) to my brain. I have infusion treatments every three weeks and will for the remainder of my life. I have had three rounds of gamma knife to brain tumors and recently had laser ablation of the newest brain tumor – my 12th one.

Since my diagnosis I have learned that I have extremely dense breast tissue that makes it much harder to see breast cancer on a mammogram AND is a significant risk factor for developing breast cancer. A person with dense breast tissue has a 60% higher risk for developing breast cancer than a person without dense breast tissue.. How I wish I had known this before my diagnosis. I had never heard of breast density and didn’t know I should have been receiving additional screenings each year in addition to my mammogram.

Did you know that there are scarce resources dedicated to researching Metastatic Breast Cancer?

I am raising money for METAvivor because 100% of their funds go to researching Metastatic Breast Cancer – the only breast cancer that kills. I need research to find new treatments to extend my life.

This is a link to my fundraising page.

https://donate.metavivor.org/fundraiser/5554408

Poking my Head out from the Cave Again

July 24, 2025 will be the sixth anniversary of my Metastatic Breast Cancer diagnosis. July 10, 2019 was the day I found the lump. The days in between that and the horrible diagnosis are etched in my memory. July is a difficult month for me. I have not felt like blogging for a long time. This is what my body has been through so far:

Treatments: 102

Gamma Knife Procedure: 3

Brain Radiation SRS: 5 rounds

Adrenal Gland Radiation: 5 rounds

Shoulder Radiation: 1 round

Spine Surgery: 1

LITT to remove a brain tumor: 1

Brain MRIs: 17

Whole Body Bone Scans: 14

Chest/Ab/Pelvic CT Scans: 19

Echocardiograms: 9

Heart MRIs: 9

Breast MRI: 1

Complete Spinal MRI: 1

Thoracentesis to drain fluid from my lung: 2

Hospitalizations: three

This was a photo from treatment 102. Next Tuesday, July 22, will be #103. It has been a whole year since I had a new brain tumor – a record for me. Along with my infusions every 3 weeks, I take 2 oral chemo pills morning and night. They are not kind to my digestive system, but they are manageable, especially since it seems to be working. I am an ambassador for #LightUpMBC again. We raise money for Metavivor for metastatic breast cancer research. This is even more important now that the controlling political party has slashed billions from cancer research through the NIH with the support of every voter who helped to elect them. My fundraising page can be found here:

https://donate.metavivor.org/fundraiser/555408

I am grateful for those of you who have reached out to me while my blog was on hiatus. It means a lot to me. The painted rocks seen in photo at the top of this blog were a special gift from 3 people who know just how to add smiles to my day. Some of you even keep up with my treatment days (still every 3 weeks and still on Tuesdays). A little text or email to let me know you are thinking of me really brightens up those days. I am really tired of dealing with Stage IV cancer every day. Grief over that and missing my mom seep into all aspects of my life. Most days I still have the urge to pick up the phone and call Mom, to share something exciting or something that scares me. I carry her with me in my heart always. I appreciate any shares of this site, as I am still taking a huge step back from social media. You can also sign up to receive new blog posts via email.

I leave you with my new mantra: You don’t have to like it or want it or approve of it. Simply allow it to be there – because it already is.

In Conclusion

Today is the last day of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Please don’t let MBC slip from your mind. This year an estimated 115 people in the United States will be killed by MBC every day.

From Metavivor:

“With the impending flip of the calendar, the “Breast Cancer Awareness” campaigns will retreat back to their pink shadows for the next 11 months – but we can’t ignore stage IV for even a minute. It is estimated that more than 42,000 people will die from MBC in 2024 in the U.S. alone, and these heartbreaking losses won’t stop until we collectively aim more than the current 5% of all breast cancer research funding at the only fatal form of the disease.”

I am so thankful for all the support I received from Dave and all of you for my Light Up MBC fundraising and awareness. I can still hardly believe my beloved Assembly Hall (I mean, State Farm Center) was lit in the MBC colors of green, teal and pink for National Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day, October 13.

I participated in the Be a Hero Fun Run in Plainfield, IL for Light Up MBC on October 12. My cousin, Suzi, drove me up and walked with me. My dear friend Patti also drove up and joined us. It was a beautiful day and I got to see my MBC friends April and Lisa and meet some new friends.

My dear friend, Greg Niewold, of Power Planter introduced me to Jerry and Jenny Simpson of Creekside Nursery. We made a video that has 24K views on You Tube to spread awareness of MBC, to promote the Light Up MBC Campaign, to promote breast density awareness (My Density Matters), and to announce a Creekside Nursery Signature Event that raised thousands of dollars for Light Up MBC in their live auction. Greg has done so much to support me since my diagnosis and help me spread awareness. He is an amazing human.

Greg hosted a Live Watch Party for the Light Up MBC event so people could watch the show and see me tell my story (with Dave by my side) in front of State Farm Center lit in MBC colors. I don’t know the details of the party, as I was busy with the live filming. It was a crazy night, as the lighting technician was delayed. The green, teal and pink lights did not happen until minutes before I went live. I’ve heard from many of you who watched it and my phone was pinging with texts. You all made me feel so loved. Dave and I stayed a long time after the event was over, just soaking it all in.

I encourage you to follow Metavivor, Light Up MBC, and My Density Matters on social media and I thank you for following me on my mission to raise money for metastatic breast cancer research. The Light Up MBC campaign runs through December 31. My fundraising page will remain active until then. This research is needed to save lives, including my own.

https://donate.metavivor.org/fundraiser/5554408

Know your breast density and why it matters. Perform monthly self exams. Get annual mammograms. Then get additional screening if you have extremely dense breast tissue. Don’t let my story become your story.

Thank you so much for your love and support. It means the world to me and helps me get through some really difficult days.

Light Up MBC Live 2024

This is a link to a recording of our show. I have so much to say about the events of this past weekend, but I am too tired to string many words together well.

It is a 2 hour video. My story comes around the 1:30 mark. I urge you to watch the whole show. I’ve heard some comment that it is too sad to watch. The point of our stories is to show what it is really like to live with MBC, yet to make people aware that we are just like the rest of you – trying to live full lives. You will learn so much about MBC and see all the amazing research.

There are so many new treatments on the horizon. It makes me wonder how much more there would be if more than 2% of all breast cancer research dollars was focused on metastatic breast cancer? Even if we could tip the scale slightly and get 10%, I cannot fathom all the marvelous things that could be extending our lives and making them better.

I’ll end with this: You’ve heard me say or write that around 115 people in our country die every single day from metastatic breast cancer. Did you know that number has held steady for well over a decade? That means the equivalent of a small jetliner full of people die every day from a disease and we are not making any progress on stopping it.

I have so many people to thank for their donations and support. I will get to that soon. For now, please know that your encouragement helps me on some of my darker days. I was so moved by seeing State Farm Center lit in pink, teal and green. I told Dave I wanted to spend the night down there so I could keep watching it. 🩷💚💙

https://www.youtube.com/live/RQQVtZIpFGs?si=FimkefGYPodD5CBu

If I Could Turn Back Time

July is the month of hard anniversaries. It is a month I wish I could just skip. But I cannot. Instead, I plan to find some purpose in my journey by educating you so you and the people you love do not find yourself walking in my Metastatic Breast Cancer shoes.

July 9, 2019 was the last day I experienced without the fear of cancer. Now we know that I already had breast cancer that had spread to my bones, liver and adrenal gland. But on that day, I was blissfully unaware. I ache for that lost happiness. I find relief in sharing my story so that other people will do the following: perform monthly breast self exams, get annual mammograms beginning no later than age 40 (earlier if you are high risk),know your breast density, know what screenings you need if you have dense breast tissue, know what Metastatic Breast Cancer is and why we need more research done to cure the only breast cancer that kills.

I am an Ambassador for #LightUpMBC. I am working to secure buildings to be lit in the MBC colors (teal, green, pink) on October 13, 2024 – National Metastatic Breast Cancer Day. I am in contact with State Farm Center on the campus of University of Illinois, my alma mater. If you have other ideas for buildings and landmarks with color changing LED lighting, please let me know. All proceeds from the #LightUpMBC campaign go to Metavivor to fund research grants. Your donation might be the one that funds research that finds a cure for me before time runs out.

https://donate.metavivor.org/fundraiser/5554408