Hi, I’m Brandi. On August 17, 2023, my life changed forever. That day, I was diagnosed with Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC). MBC is stage 4 breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body, primarily the lungs, liver, bones, and brain. MBC is treatable but not curable.
My cancer journey began in 2006 when I was diagnosed with stage 1B Invasive Ductal Carcinoma on the left side. I had a unilateral mastectomy and four rounds of chemo. Twelve years later, the c-word reared its ugly head again. In 2018, I was diagnosed with stage IIA Invasive Ductal Carcinoma on the right side. I had a unilateral mastectomy and four rounds of chemo again. Again, the cancer returned. On August 17, 2023, I was diagnosed with Metastatic Micropapillary Ductal Carcinoma. Breast cancer has spread to my lymph nodes.
There is no cure. This disease is going to take my life. While researching MBC, I discovered an organization, METAvivor, which is the only organization in the US that funds MBC research exclusively. Their mission is to transition MBC from a terminal diagnosis to a chronic, manageable disease with a decent quality of life. Each year, 200,000 Americans are diagnosed with breast cancer. Six to ten percent of those are metastatic, or stage 4, at the original diagnosis. Approximately another 30% of these breast cancer patients (48,000+) will develop metastatic breast cancer.
Currently, only 2-5% of research funding goes to metastatic breast cancer, yet more than 30% of breast cancer patients will develop MBC. Along with my sisters, I’m committed to raising urgently needed funds, changing the funding disparity, and providing hope for thousands of MBC patients.
Please join me in supporting METAvivor and their quest to transition MBC to a chronic, treatable disease. Funding is crucial to discovering new treatments. It probably won’t happen in my lifetime. But I won’t stand by and let cancer win; I am raising funds to help conquer this horrible disease that has and continues to claim so many lives.
— Brandi
You can help.
