She Believed She Could...

3 years ago today, I became a survivor of Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) with no targeted therapy yet. I am blessed with each day of life and hold all that are part of my life very close to my heart.
It's been a heart-aching year with

 the lost of 8 TNBC pink sisters this past year, all who were diagnosed after I was and 2 that I was very close to. I continue to fight along side of those that are still battling and those in remembrance that had touched my heart.
I still keep up with my blog/website http://mlsspaskvan.blogspot.com turning it into a more of an informational and inspirational site for TNBC; posting latest research articles, events I've participated in, stories and memorials on my TNBC pink sisters, and other postings of same interests.
With my blog site, I have reached out to people all over the world reaching many countries in every continent with over 38,000 views to my site. My hope is that my site will help others to have hope, give them the strength to fight and to provide resources to get them the information they need to know about this TNBC subtype.
It is discouraging some knowing that there has been very little advancement in research since my diagnosis in 2009, and that Triple Negative Breast Cancer still remains a medical unmet need. Researchers have learned just in the past several months that TNBC is an extremely complex disease.
TNBC is not just one disease but 6 different subtypes of it in itself. Also, each tumor displays multiple "clonal genotypes" with each cancer at a different stage in the evolutionary process at the time of diagnosis which explains why TNBC patients responds so differently to, or is resistance to treatment.
Ladies, Triple Negative Breast Cancer is a very serious disease and is striking much younger women in their 20's, 30's and 40's. Please keep up with your monthly self exams for early detection is key for survival...
and please tell your 20 yr. olds daughters that they need to be doing this too.
I thank you all again for your support in breast cancer awareness ♥

"It's not what I have been through 

in my life that defines who I am, 

it's how I got through it that has 

made me the person I am today!"

FDA Seeks To Speed Drug Development For Early-Stage, Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

"Here’s how it would work: a drug would be tested in the neoadjuvant (before-surgery) setting among patients with early-stage cancer. Study participants would receive standard chemotherapy alone or in combination with the investigational drug. The response to these treatments would be assessed at the time of breast cancer surgery. If the addition of the investigational drug produces higher pCR rates than chemotherapy alone, the drug may be considered for accelerated approval."

FDA Seeks to Speed Drug Development for Early-Stage, Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (Click to read full story)

Integrative Cancer Care -Best Cancer Fighting Diet - 1UpOnCancer.com

My TNBC friend, Rachel's website:
1 Up On Cancer
www.1UpOnCancer.com

Welcome to www.1UpOnCancer.com.
This site is for you if you want to look cancer in the eye and not be afraid – or at least feel much less afraid.

My Kitty...

In Loving Memory of Greta

1992 - August 10, 2012

Rainbow Bridge...
Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together.... 

Me and Greta when I was ill

My beloved cat, Greta passed after a month of being ill. Greta was my comfort during cancer treatments, her purring and snuggling with me made everything ok. 

We love you Fooze and miss you so much!  -your family xoxoxo

Me and Greta when she was ill

Until that day...!

1st Ever Rally For The Cure 2012

Thank you Mathews Ford of Oregon, OH for putting on Rally for the Cure and raising $900 for Susan G. Komen Foundation to help find our cure.

Me and my 1968 Ford Fairlane

Anti-Cancer Superfruits

"Fusion Gene", Potential New Target Identified in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

"A genetic change that was identified in a triple-negative sample involved a fusion of two genes: MAGI3 and AKT3. The protein produced by this fusion gene is thought to contribute to cancer growth. When the researchers looked for this fusion gene in another set of tumor samples, they found it in 7% of triple-negative samples (5 out of 72).  

Drugs that target this biological pathway are already being investigated for other purposes, and may eventually prove to be useful for triple-negative breast cancers that contain the fusion gene. If researchers are able to find a targeted drug that is effective against these cancers, it would be an important advance in the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer. Only a subset of triple-negative breast cancers contain the genetic change identified in this study, but ongoing research may identify additional targets."...

Susan G. Komen for the Cure | Potential New Target Identified in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
( click link for full story)