Serena: A 26-year-old with Stage IV Breast Cancer

In March 2021, my 26-year-old cousin Serena was diagnosed with triple-negative BRCA-positive breast cancer. Despite early detection and immediate treatment with a double mastectomy, radiation, and chemotherapy her disease quickly progressed to widely metastatic Stage IV breast cancer which has been resistant to all conventional chemotherapeutic regimens.

In July 2022, Serena worked with a chemo-matching service where chemotherapy regimens are tested in the laboratory directly against the patient’s specific cancer. Serena was matched with two synergistic combinations, and it has gotten to the point where this seems like the only viable option for additional treatment. This does not come without challenges; chemo matching isn’t the standard course of treatment, is not covered by insurance, and few doctors are willing to administer this potentially life-saving regimen.

Serena has been shut down by almost every doctor in Utah, including three of the most prominent oncology organizations in the state. That is until now. She has found a New York-based oncologist who is ready to begin the recommended treatment.

Now, for the first time since her diagnosis, she needs your help. As noted, these treatments are not covered by insurance and require her to travel to a doctor in NYC. There are going to be travel costs, accommodation costs, medical costs, and more.

Every dollar goes directly to support Serena.

Serena is a fighter. She is one of the strongest people I know and she never ceases to amaze me. She has educated herself on her treatment; she has advocated for herself, and she hasn't stopped living her life. She teaches me that there is something in every day to fight for, to live for, to admire, and to learn from. Serena makes the most of every day, and now, it's up to us to help her in a way where she can make the most out of treatment.

You can learn more about Serena and can follow along with her cancer journey on her Instagram.