METAvivor Stage IV Stampede, Holiday Inn, Washington DC Capitol, October 17th, 4pm

April was diagnosed with Stage 2 grade 2 Triple Negative Breast Cancer at 31 years old. Her wife describes her as an amazing, caring, generous, and beautiful woman. When she was 32 years old her TNBC decided to take over her body. Her oncologist told her that no one lives past 3 years with stage four breast cancer, so she should go home and prepare for death. April is now with a new doctor. She was privileged to watch the performances in DC and she is looking forward to reading for her friend Beth Caldwell.

Terlisa Sheppard is a 4-time breast cancer survivor who was originally diagnosed in 1998 with stage 3, HER2+, ER+, PR-, breast cancer at age 31, while 8 ½ months pregnant. She has been living with stage IV metastatic breast cancer for over 17 years, with metastases to her bones, lungs, liver, spine, abdomen, and brain. While going through countless chemotherapy and radiation treatments; Terlisa has been hospitalized for things like a blood clot in her lungs, pneumonia, and a total hip replacement, which included an extended stay for a MERSA staph infection. Through her journey, she has inspired others to fight through their diagnosis and live their best life, one day at a time. She is the proud founder of a small, non-profit breast cancer organization called, Terlisa Fights Breast Cancer, Inc. and a co-author of “Unbreakable Spirit, Rising Above The Impossible.” Because of Terlisa’s continuous work in the community, she has received various awards and recognition to include receiving the Woman of Courage Award from the National Women’s Political Caucus in Washington, D.C. 

Janice Cowden was diagnosed with stage I triple-negative early-stage breast cancer in 2011. She was diagnosed with metastatic disease in 2016. She’s a volunteer for the Living Beyond Breast Cancer Helpline, a member of the Living Beyond Breast Cancer’s 107 Hear My Voice Outreach Volunteer group, and advocates through social media. “What I enjoy most about doing these things,” she explains, “are the connections I make with others who are living with all stages of breast cancer, and in particular those with metastatic disease.”

Christine Hodgdon was diagnosed with de novo metastatic breast cancer in April 2015. She is a leadership volunteer for the Hear My Voice program with Living Beyond Breast Cancer (LBBC) and is an ANGEL advocacy volunteer with the Tigerlily Foundation. Christine serves as a peer mentor for the Young Survival Coalition and LBBC. Before cancer, Christine loved to travel and was a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala from 2011-2013; she had a career as a conservation biologist working to save habitat for endangered species. Now Christine is using her science background to create an open-access online forum thestormriders.org that provides the most recent and scientifically accurate information about breast cancer and its treatments, including metastatic breast cancer clinical trials and drugs and therapies in the pipeline. She also has created a pilot program, pairing oncology experts with new patient advocates at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium

Julia Maues was diagnosed with HER2-positive breast cancer while pregnant at age 29. After her son was born, she found out the cancer was metastatic and had spread to her brain, liver and bones. She’s been in active treatment since 2013. Julia is a member of the 2018 Living Beyond Breast Cancer Hear My Voice class of volunteers. She also participates as an advocate with Georgetown Breast Cancer Advocates, a group at Georgetown University’s Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, in Washington, D.C., that works with researchers, clinicians and other stakeholders to ensure that research is patient-centered, innovative and accessible. In addition, Julia has served on American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) guideline panels, as a reviewer for the Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program, and is an active member of two local support groups and closed Facebook groups for people with metastatic breast cancer.

Ineia was 38 years old when she was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, she had meds to the bones with a very large tumor in her cervical spine that required surgery immediately. She has been an active treatment ever since this disease has changed her life and has given her many other “gifts” like heart failure due to radiation, necrosis of the jaw liver cirrhosis, diabetes, sarcoidosis not to mention the chronic pain and the extreme fatigue. She’s anchored by her faith, her loving family and friends. She is very grateful to still be here after 14 years, and enjoys life to the fullest.

Nancy Herard-Marshall is a mother, wife, former dancer/actress, and psychotherapist. Nancy was diagnosed with early stage in 2013 and then metastatic in 2020, during the COVID 19 pandemic, Before her metastatic diagnosis, she maintained a private practice as the proprietor of Gaya Healing Arts, where as a somatic practitioner, she provided services to her community as a dance/movement psychotherapist, authentic movement practitioner, and Ra Sekhi Kemetic Reiki practitioner. She utilized artistic, contemporary, and ancestral healing techniques as emotional support to Black, Indigenous, and all people of color from a culturally affirming therapeutic approach. Although navigating the diagnosis has been challenging, Nancy has continued to wear her many hats while showing up for herself, her family, and her community. As a patient advocate, Nancy is an LBBC 2021 Hear My Voice alumni, a member of Komen’s MBC Steering Committee, and a Grasp Advocate and MBCalliance member. She has also spoken on panels in Susan G. Komen webinars regarding palliative care as well as integrative & complementary therapies. Nancy looks forward to increasing her advocacy work to amplify the voices of those living with MBC.