Marissa’s Story

Hi! My name is Marissa. I am a 41-year-old high school English teacher. I have an amazing husband, whom I met more than 20 years ago in college, and we have two beautiful daughters, ages 8 and 11.

At 40, I had a nodule removed from my thyroid and later found out it was thyroid cancer. Less than six months later, I discovered a lump in my breast—unrelated, but a second cancer. I was diagnosed with stage 3B triple-positive breast cancer. My treatment has included six rounds of TCHP chemotherapy, a double mastectomy, radiation, and I am now halfway through 14 rounds of Kadcyla.

It has been an incredibly difficult year, but I am so thankful for the love and support of my family, friends, and the breast cancer community.

-Marissa