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I have been in treatment since 2013. In 2012, I had cervical cancer and had a total Hysterectomy. I was misdiagnosed and told the lump in my breast was calcium and the size of a pea. In 2013, it was taken out. It was the size of a baseball - stage 3.

I was diagnosed with stage IV metastatic transitional cell collecting duct cancer (renal) in 2013. I have been forced to continue working for employers with adverse cultures and aspirations to my own as a result of the fear of being left without continued choice of treatment which comes with insurance only offered by group plans, and being able to seek treatment at the facilities of my choosing.

Life isn't easy by any means. I used to be a girl that would run constantly, have so much energy, but that has changed!

It's so strange how time can go so slowly and fly by at the same time. I got my metastatic breast cancer diagnosis in December of 2009, almost 12 years ago. I have had no evidence of disease for ten years.

The word metastatic first came into my vernacular June 18, 2013. Well actually, I was told at that moment I would be lucky if it wasn't at least stage two. A month later I found out after scans it was stage 4 from the very beginning.

My husband was diagnosed with colon cancer initially in 2019, had surgery in January 2020, went through chemo and was in remission. Then, when he had a routine CAT scan, they told us he had a spot in his liver. He had the PET scan and it showed stage 4 liver cancer.

For me, it has taken a team of amazing doctors, each with different specialties. Primary Physician (Internal Medicine) who detected my elevated PSA at 141.

In 2020, my warrior husband, Jerry Kester, was diagnosed with Small Cell Lung Cancer.

At the age of 28 in 2018, I was given the unthinkable news.

I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016, had chemo, radiation, and a double mastectomy! The cancer was gone and I was in remission until April 2018 when a large brain tumor was discovered during a routine eye exam!

I was diagnosed with melanoma in 2015. It started on my nostril and looked like a blood blister so I just ignored it thinking it would go away. My mom and dad got concerned about it and made me go to a dermatologist (I was 53 at the time and my mom and dad had to make me go. Pitiful isn’t it).

My beautiful sister was diagnosed with cervical cancer 5/1/2018. She fought it with everything she had with a smile on her face, laughed and had faith & hope.

Both of my parents died from Cancer. My Dad had Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma diagnosed in January of 1983. On February 18, 1984, he was gone.

My first cancer diagnosis was November 22, 2017! Colon rectal, had surgery, but the surgeon did a lymph node exam and said it looked good!

I was diagnosed 8 years ago with metastatic breast cancer with one met on my rib. I consider myself as one of the lucky ones because I am a thriver with no disease progression. My meds are inexpensive and additional treatment is covered by my Medicare.

Catalina has endured five blood transfusions, a spinal bone marrow test, a surgical biopsy of her liver as well as months of unpleasant procedures. The treatment has now advanced to chemotherapy. She will have to endure numerous rounds.

In 2005 I was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer at the age of 27. I underwent surgery, three rounds of chemotherapy and radiation.

At the age of 43, I was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer. I had surgery to remove one infected lymph node and the upper right wall of my colon. Then I did 12 months of chemotherapy.

Renee shares her experience after being diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer

My name is Mindy and I have Metastatic Breast Cancer. At 36 yrs old I finally felt as though my life was going in the direction I wanted it to. My youngest was starting their 1st year of school.

I was diagnosed stage 2, HER2+. In 2009. My youngest child was only 12. After A mastectomy, 6 rounds of chemo and a year of Herceptin, I thought I was free, But only five months later, cancer was found in my liver.

I'm a cancer thriver. Diagnosed in 2013 with an MRI at the age of 49! I was told that I had a 5 centimeter, at least, tumor and positive lymph nodes, after being given the all-clear just 2 months before by the mammography and ultrasound team at another hospital.

I am Ilene Alizah Kaminsky. Alizah means happiness in Hebrew. I am a great granddaughter of a rabbi and cantor from St. Petersburg Russia who emigrated in 1910 through Ellis island.

Hi, my name is Lana and my father/best friend is fighting metastatic head and neck cancer with his mets in both lungs! He was diagnosed almost 2 years ago but started complaining to his family doctor about 2 years prior to that.

My beautiful daughter, Sandy Sheppard. She got her wings un August 2015. Since then, progress has been made towards more effective treatment and more support for survivors and caregivers. 

In January of 2017, at the ripe old age of 38, I felt a lump in my left breast. I was tandem nursing my almost 4 year old and almost 2 year old at the time. I started taking herbs and saw my lactation consultant since I’d already had a few clogs.

I was diagnosed Metastatic in 2012. I have had many ups and downs living with MBC. I have gone through 6 major surgeries in 8 years.

I discovered a knot in my left breast while I was sleeping and went to the breast cancer doctor. He did a mammogram, biopsy, and ultrasound all in the same day.

I was having my yearly appointment with my primary care physician when she looked it up the date of my last mammogram. It was 2012. She said, “let’s get back on track.”