Takeaways from SABCS Session: Diversity in Clinical Trials with ANGEL Advocate Erin Perkins
Read more to learn about some insights, reflections, and opinions of patient advocates who attended SABCS. We’re sharing a little about each Tigerlily ANGEL Advocate, their story, and why they…
A Closer Look at SABCS with Maricia Cole, Tigerlily ANGEL Advocate
Maricia Cole was an otherwise healthy young mother when she was diagnosed with Stage 2 HER2+ breast cancer at the age of 36. She is now in remission following chemo,…
A Closer Look at SABCS with Erin Perkins, Tigerlily ANGEL Advocate
Erin Perkins was diagnosed January 28th, 2021, at age 34 with Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) with invasive ductal carcinoma Stage 2B while nursing her son. While undergoing 16 chemotherapy infusions…
Lisa Lakey Interview (Part 2)
For many, there comes a de?ning moment in our lives that shapes who we are and who we will become. These moments, often arising unexpectedly, force us to discover deeper parts of ourselves that we had no idea laid dormant underneath the identities that we’d spent decades creating and curating.
Sam McKinnon Interview (Part 2)
Though now cancer-free, Sam McKinnon, 32, still struggles with infections and other health-related issues. This is common among many cancer survivors, despite it often not being widely known among those who have not personally battled or known someone else who has battled cancer.
Caregiving and Compassion: Kim Bernakevitch
When you find a true friend, it’s wise to hold on to them forever. As adults with hectic schedules, it’s hard enough carving out time for ourselves, let alone for others. So, when I spent an hour talking with Sam McKinnon about her cervical cancer journey and she began to tell me stories about how incredibly supportive her dear friend Kim has been throughout her entire cancer journey, I knew that I had to meet her for myself. Who is this incredible woman and what compels her to provide caregiving and compassion to others in a world that seems to lack it so deeply now?
Cervical Cancer Story: Lisa Lakey
Lisa Lakey’s ?rst diagnosis was received in a Planned Parenthood at 18 years old. It was HPV, and with research discoveries of the virus still being relatively new, there were unfortunately no treatment plans o?ered or vaccines available.
August 2021 #PullUpASeat – Addressing Trauma and Changing Patient Outcomes
The Tigerlily Foundation and Guiding Researchers and Advocates for Scientific Partnerships (GRASP) launched a monthly conversation series, #KnowMoreDisparities and #PullUpASeat. Our August conversation focused on “Addressing Trauma and Changing Patient…
Chemo to Double Mastectomy in 6 Weeks
With chemotherapy done, I now had to face my next hurdle, a double mastectomy. I was given 6 weeks in between chemo and my surgery to heal and regain some strength. It was such a strange feeling to have nowhere to be. No doctors to poke and prod me. No labs to be drawn.
Why me, why cancer can happen to anyone
My oncologist recommended genetic testing. Most have heard of the BRCA genes. Celebrities like Angelina Jolie have tested positive and opted for a preventative mastectomy. I heard those stories. What I didn’t know was there were other genes that also went hand and hand with breast cancer and caused things like ovarian cancer. I agreed to the testing.