Stage IV Breast Cancer: Lea's Patient Story

What happened, in summary

Lea was 37 when she first felt a small, hard breast lump in 2017. She pushed for a mammogram because breast cancer had affected an aunt, even though her doctor initially thought the lump might be an ingrown hair. After abnormal mammograms and biopsy, Lea was diagnosed with Stage I breast cancer. Her treatment included a lumpectomy followed by a double mastectomy, and by 2018 she believed the cancer chapter was behind her. In 2021, hip pain changed everything. What was first treated as sciatica became so severe that she could barely walk. Imaging showed lesions in both hip sockets and femurs, and Lea learned she had metastatic breast cancer on her birthday. She later discovered tumors on her spine and, more recently, spread to the liver. The liver progression led to another change in treatment, and as of January 2026 she was receiving Taxol chemotherapy. Lea changed oncologists after feeling that key information had not been clearly communicated. With a new doctor, she felt heard and included in decisions. She was living with incurable metastatic disease while focusing on her wife, children, advocacy, counseling, and purpose.