Triple Negative Breast Cancer, "I Won't Back Down!": Brenda Beguin

What is TNBC

WHAT IS TRIPLE NEGATIVE BREAST CANCER?

Just in recent years, Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) has sparked interest in the news where instead of calling the tumor as ER-negative, PR-negative, and HER2-negative; researchers began using the shorthand term, "Triple Negative," dubbed the "new type" of breast cancer. Being Triple Negative, you don't have a targeted therapy and your only treatment option is chemotherapy.

Triple Negative Breast Cancer is seen in about 15% of all breast cancers. TNBC is a very aggressive cancer that tends to strike younger women, pre-menopause, especially among African-American women and women who have BRCA1 mutations. The tumor tends to be fast growing and is less likely to show up on an annual mammogram. TNBC is more likely to metastasis early on; has a high rate of recurrence in the first 2-3 years from diagnosis and has a poorer prognosis than other types of breast cancer due to lack of specific, targeted treatment for TNBC.

Showing posts with label Brenda Beguin. Show all posts

Sunday, June 1, 2014

TNBC Metastatic Disease... New Hope for Breast Cancer Patients

Thank you Brenda Rehnke Beguin for sharing your amazing story of strength, determination and hope with us all. You are a walking testament that you can live with TNBC metastatic disease, thank you! Lots of love and hugs
New hope for breast cancer patients (Click link)

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Triple Negative Breast Cancer Article Published in Fall 2013 Issue of Cure Magazine

A few months back I was contacted by a writer from Cure Magazine asking if I would mind telling my story for an upcoming Fall issue of Cure featuring Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC). Of course I agreed, anything to bring more awareness to Triple Negative Breast Cancer. I talked of our online support group and how all of us TNBC met up in Seattle for the C4YW breast cancer conference and how I met Brenda Beguin. I spoke of Brenda's amazing story of her triumph over her TNBC recurrence and being NED for the past 2 years giving other Stage 4 ladies HOPE. The writer was very interested in hearing from Brenda and wanted me to ask Brenda if she would be up to talking with Cure magazine. Absolutely... Brenda's story needed to be heard and to have her story published in a magazine that will be displayed at every oncologist office, breast surgeon's, chemo and radiation waiting rooms, she'll be reaching out to every TNBC Stage 4 patient that is looking for a miracle and giving them hope and renewed strength to never give up.
Brenda, Thank you my sweet sister for your strength in reliving your journey thus far and sharing your story with everyone throughout our country. I know it wasn't easy but you did it, you're surviving and your helping other women.
Also, great article on TNBC and treatments in the pipeline.

Read the article in Fall 2013 Issue of Cure Magazine:
http://www.curetoday.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/article.show/id/2/article_id/2157 (Click link to story)

I traveled from Ohio to Seattle, Wa.
to give Brenda Beguin a hug in
person at the Young Survival
Coalition Conference.

"...Throughout her journey, Beguin found hope at Seattle Cancer Care, and strength in online support groups, where she and Paskvan became close friends."

Monday, January 16, 2012

Brenda, Her Determination To Fight Triple Negative Breast Cancer.

Brenda, One of my TNBC friends posted this pic of the snowman she just made. Let me tell you a little bit about Brenda. In 2005, Brenda was diagnosed with Triple Negative Breast Cancer and her treatment was Lumpectomy and 12 weeks of radiation, she had declined chemo. Brenda had tested positive for BRCA1 and had her ovaries and tubal removal as a preventative for ovarian cancer in 2009. June of 2010, Brenda's cancer returned with mets to her lung, then to her paratracheal lymph node and then to her liver, she is now stage 4. Brenda's first clinical trial had failed her where her cancer grew. Brenda had just finished her 2nd trial last month around Christmas time and has received clean scans and is living life cancer free. This pass year was not easy for Brenda, her chemo treatments had made her very, very sick and weak. To see Brenda just a few weeks after her last treatment, building this "survivor snowman", she's truly amazing and her smile says it all... I truly admire her strength and determination. Happy New Year Brenda Beguin! Be well, be happy and dammit, LIVE LIFE!... you so deserve this!
www.caringbridge.org/visit/brendabeguin
(Click link to read Brenda's Journey)