Who is METAvivor.org METAvivor exists to sustain hope for those living with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer (MBC). We are a volunteer-led, non-profit organization that funds vital research to help improve the longevity and quality of life for MBC patients. Passionately committed patients ourselves, we rally public attention to the urgent needs of the MBC community, help patients find strength ... Read the Post
METAvivor.org and Thrivers
Becoming your Own Medical Advocate
When medicine is big business, we have to become the CEO of our bodies. I've found that when dealing with illness or pain, we often feel like our health is one big mystery; we act as if what’s going on in our bodies is none of our business. But I say this is the only body I've got, and you better believe I'm going to make it my business! We should all feel empowered to learn about our illness, to ... Read the Post
Let’s Do This – Chemo Day Number One
Before I went into the chemo room, we met with my oncologist. It went something like this- The doctor walked into the exam room and said that he had the results from my CT scan. He told us that I have numerous small spots in both my lungs, one large and one smaller spot on my liver, and a spot on the bone of my back. Then he paused. He went on to say that if I wasn’t emotionally up to having ... Read the Post
Tumor Markers, Herceptin, Her2+, Oh My
The first nine months after diagnosis I did very little to educate myself about what was going on with my body. I remember reading one published article in Time magazine and, I was done. Honestly, it was just too scary, and it was less stress for me to show up for my treatment. It felt a bit robotic, and that is ok because it worked for me. I'd head home from chemo, feel like shit for a few days. ... Read the Post
Got Hope?
Hope may just be the best word in the English language. It has synonyms like #expectation, #longing, #desire, #confidence, #trust, and #faith. We use it when we want to describe some of our deepest emotions, with phrases such as our only hope, no other hope, false hopes, and the saddest one of all -- no more hope. Hope can take so many different forms and meanings and even change from hour to ... Read the Post