Episode 406: From Treating Cancer to Living with It: An MBC Story

Imagine spending more than 30 years working in oncology and then suddenly finding yourself on the other side of that conversation.

Today’s guest, Lily Cabezon, is a senior physician assistant in urologic oncology. After becoming very sick with COVID in 2020 and losing significant weight, Lily discovered a lump in her breast. Her mammogram revealed a mass that led to a Stage 1 diagnosis. Before beginning chemotherapy, staging scans revealed that the cancer had metastasized to her spine. She went on to undergo chemotherapy, spine treatment, a year of immunotherapy, and a bilateral mastectomy with extensive reconstruction.

Lily is here today to talk to us about how she kept going through it all and how breast cancer changed her perspective. After years of telling patients that they had cancer, she suddenly understood what that word meant from the other side—not just for the patient, but for everyone who loves them.

We are thrilled to have Lily on Real Pink and in our Don't Fail the Girls campaign this October. Breast cancer is personal for her, and she knows how much is at stake. She’s using her voice to help make breast cancer impossible to ignore and to help drive the research, support and action needed to end it.

Takeaways

A cancer diagnosis can transform how you understand the patient experience
Healthcare delays and barriers can have a profound emotional impact
Patients deserve to make informed choices about their own treatment
Documenting the difficult parts of treatment can help others feel less alone

Chapters
00:01:44 — Lily’s breast cancer diagnosis

00:04:24 — Going from stage one to stage four

00:07:23 — Seeing cancer from the patient’s perspective

00:11:31 — Documenting reconstruction and recovery

00:21:22 — Living with metastatic breast cancer

Learn more at realpink.komen.org and komen.org

Real Pink, by Susan G. Komen, shares real stories and expert insights to support people navigating breast cancer, from diagnosis through survivorship.

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