I am a Thriver
- Surviving Breast Cancer
- Oct 7
- 3 min read
By Alyce Stewart
In October 2023 I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. Here is a piece I wrote to share with family and friends on August 30, 2024. It is my hope that by sharing this, I may help someone going through this diagnosis.
I have given this a lot of thought and after being at Tuesday’s breast cancer event (August 27, 2024) I decided to write about my metastatic breast cancer (MBC). I have found that even breast cancer patients don’t know much about this and why we are called “Thrivers.”
The first thing to know is that metastatic breast cancer is always considered stage 4. That said, there are many medications that are available, and people are living longer with this disease than in the past. My nurse has MBC patients who have been responding well to these medications for 10 or more years.
Metastatic breast cancer refers to breast cancer cells that are found in other areas of your body: in my case, it’s my bones and lungs. So, my cancer is not considered to be bone cancer or lung cancer but metastatic breast cancer.
I was originally diagnosed with early stage breast cancer in 2016 (you can read this part of my story here!). I have had special blood tests every 6 months to check my breast cancer markers since my treatments in 2016-17. At that time, my surgeon was not able to remove all of my cancer due to location and not knowing it was there. I had chemo first, followed by a PET scan before my surgery that did not show the cancer. So it was decided I was a “high risk” patient and my oncologist made sure I had the blood test known as the CA27-29 every six months. It was this test that caught my metastatic breast cancer in October 2023. My current cancer (MBC) was caught early due to these blood tests, and for that I am grateful.
My new treatment began with a special DNA blood test that came back positive for breast cancer cells. This resulted in scans, more blood work and a lung biopsy. I have scans every three months to make sure my meds are working. And as I said, there are quite a few medications available to me if my current meds should stop working.
My treatment plan is Ibrance pills for 21 days, a week off, then I receive 2 shots of fulvestrant and one shot of Xgeva for my bones. These meds come with side effects, terrible fatigue is one, low labs which result in a compromised immune system are another, but they are working. I had scans this past June and they showed positive results. My next scans will be in October. I will be on a treatment plan for the rest of my life, and that’s okay.
So, why am I called a “Thriver”? Well, I am not in remission nor am I NED (no evidence of disease), but I am thriving. “Thriver” started to be used by the breast cancer community when people with MBC felt uncomfortable being called “survivors.” So, “Thriver” started to be used for those of us who are on this unknown path. I personally take this path one step at a time, as do many others.
I am thriving, my doctors are pleased with my progress, and I try not to dwell on the negative. I am grateful for each and every blessing in my life, and this is just one more detour along the way. All of you help me every day – your prayers, love, and friendship mean the world to me. And I try to give back with posts like this, in the hopes that my words will help someone else who is walking this path with me.
Read More:
On the Podcast: Breast Cancer Conversations
Unveiling the Realities of Metastatic Breast Cancer in October
Share your story, poetry, or art:
SurvivingBreastCancer.org Resources & Support:
