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Emily Parise




My cancer life


Hello world. I’m Emily Parise. Current 37 year old cancer mutant loving the world. Let me tell you my story.


It actually started in 1987. When I was 2 years old, the doctors found a pre-cancerous tumor on one of my adrenal glands. There was no explanation other than it being a fluke. It was “common in middle aged men.” So it did not make perfect sense. I was left to just live a regular life after surgery to remove the tumor.


Cut to 27 years later. It was 2014. I turned 29 on February 28th. 2 weeks later, March 13, 2014 I was diagnosed with stage 3 triple positive breast cancer. Sigh. I didn’t see it coming. During baseline scans, including my first brain MRI ever in my entire life, they also found a primary brain tumor.


My oncologist, Dr. Diane Buchbarker, is the BEST in the biz. She knew from 3 primary tumors/cancer in my life she should have me tested for Li Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). A cool cancer mutation of my TP53 gene that helps me collect them all!


I went through chemo, double mastectomy, and 300 other reconstruction surgeries and brain MRIs every 6 months. Everything seemed good the first 3 years, but I started having issues with my brain tumor. April 17, 2017 I had an awake craniotomy! Aka major brain surgery.


I just celebrated 8 years since being diagnosed with breast cancer and the rest is still forever ongoing. This mutant life is forever. I don’t currently have active cancer, my brain tumor is forever growing back and my mutation makes me always be on the watch. I have an amazing family and awesome friends. I’m currently a professional patient living this best mutant life!


To learn more about LFS, click here.


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