Brandi’s Breast Cancer Story

My name is Brandi and I live in Baltimore, Maryland, with my husband and two small children. While pregnant with my daughter at the age of 34, I noticed a painful lump in my left breast in July, 2023. I was told that it was a blocked milk duct. When it did not go away with heating pads and massage, an ultrasound was performed and a biopsy was ordered. It found cancer in that same breast as well as my lymph nodes. The pathology report came back as HER2+ positive/ER negative breast cancer. After I gave birth to my daughter in September, a PET scan found that the cancer had spread to my liver and several of my bones, including my spine. I was then diagnosed with Stage-4 Metastatic Breast Cancer. I underwent six rounds of chemotherapy, which included TCHP. I lost my hair, fingernails, and developed discoloration in my skin. Despite treatment, I had a reoccurrence in my left breast in July, 2024, and my surgical oncologist recommended a left mastectomy. I recently started radiation to the left breast and lymph nodes in November, 2024. At this time, I receive Herceptin and Perjeta every 3 weeks and I take a daily pill called Tucatinib. This diagnosis has brought me closer to God and has revealed my true purpose in life. I am so grateful that I am still here to spread love, light, and healing to others going through something similar. Although I will be on medication for the rest of my life, I get the opportunity to do these things. I now focus on what brings me joy and make sure that everything that I do is intentional. For those who are newly diagnosed (whether Stage-1 or Stage-4), find your purpose, practice gratitude daily, love your family, and trust in God.