Patient Stories

When Sandra Lewis found out she was a carrier of the BRCA2 gene mutation, she was determined to get informed. She learned to embrace the moment, focused on the facets of her life that she could control, and remembered to smile as part of healing.

At age 24, Nalie Agustin was diagnosed with stage II breast cancer. After about 3 years of remission and gaining a large online following through her inspirational writing, videos, and podcasts, she was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. She explains to doctors that their words are as powerful as the treatments they prescribe.

As a part-time personal trainer and a veteran strength athlete with 16 years of competition, Patrick McNamee was shocked to hear that he had stage III rectal cancer, and joked with his oncologist that he was the healthiest guy with cancer around.

Chris Andersen learned the value of trusting one’s instincts and asking for a second opinion after receiving a misdiagnosis of breast cancer that was later diagnosed as metastatic skin cancer and she was told she had 1 to 2 years to live. Thanks to a new treatment for skin cancer, she now has no signs of cancer.

Michele Longabaugh, who passed after this article was written, addresses the stigma associated with anal cancer and her battle with this tricky disease, which she turned into a blog, a book, and advocacy efforts to help others.

Anna Winters found a lump on her breast right before a Gun N’ Roses concert, and now deals with thoughts of breast cancer recurrence and how remission doesn’t mean that cancer is over.

Laurie Adami chronicles her long fight with follicular lymphoma, including her run-in with 6 types of therapies. After losing all hope, she finally achieved complete remission with a new immunotherapy called CAR T-cell therapy, and then turned her sights on climbing Mt. Everest to raise money for cancer research.