How One Advocate and “Recovering Lawyer” Found Purpose Beyond Diagnosis

A 38-year-old attorney and mother of two felt a small lump in her left breast in early 2017 while tandem breastfeeding. Doctors initially reassured her that it was likely nothing serious, but a biopsy confirmed hormone-positive breast cancer. Because her family had believed they were clear of genetic risk — her mother’s past genetic test showed no BRCA mutations — the news stunned everyone. The first plan involved a lumpectomy followed by chemotherapy (Adriamycin and Cytoxan) and radiation. Yet, due to a lab mistake, her tumor markers were tested early, revealing metastatic spread to multiple bones.

The stage IV diagnosis changed everything. Within a week, she underwent surgery to insert titanium rods into both femurs, preventing them from fracturing under the heavy disease burden. In time, she transitioned to targeted therapies like Ibrance (a CDK4/6 inhibitor) and later Piqray to match new mutations uncovered through genomic testing. Facing insurance hurdles, constant fatigue, and high treatment costs, she developed coping strategies, including journaling and connecting with support groups. She also discovered an ATM genetic mutation, which further shaped her ongoing therapies.

Advocacy became a cornerstone of her life after leaving her law practice. She moderates a Facebook group for newly diagnosed metastatic breast cancer (mBC) patients, participates in clinical trial discussions, and collaborates with research panels to improve quality-of-life measures. Despite disease setbacks, the patient’s perspective remains fiercely proactive. She writes letters for her children’s future milestones and embraces a “spoon theory” mindset, prioritizing energy for meaningful connections.

Today, her treatments involve constant adjustment as the cancer mutates around available medications. Yet she refuses to allow the diagnosis to define her. Ongoing genetic and genomic testing guide next steps, and her approach is grounded in self-advocacy: actively partnering with her medical team, pressing for new therapies, and encouraging others to insist on comprehensive genetic panels. Throughout her five-year journey, she reminds patients to “say what needs saying,” lean on community, and remain hopeful—because, for many living with mBC, knowledge and mutual support are powerful lifelines.