In January 2020, when Lisa first learned she had breast cancer, she and her wife, Kristin, were expecting their first child. At the time, they were living in Puerto Rico for Lisa’s work as a pilot. During a visit to Louisiana, where Lisa is from, they made a series of doctor appointments, including Lisa’s annual mammogram.
The First Breast Cancer Diagnosis
When the tech saw something unusual, Lisa was sent for a breast ultrasound and then a biopsy. “Three days later, I got a call from the doctor that it was cancer, stage 1 invasive ductal carcinoma,” Lisa said. She told her doctor she wanted to be aggressive with treatment. The cancer was only in her right breast and had not spread to her lymph nodes, so she opted for a double mastectomy. At the time, her doctor did not recommend chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
“It was a whirlwind. That happened in February and in May, our son was born,” Lisa said. She was told that there was less than a 1% chance of the cancer recurring.
Lisa was cleared to fly again and for a time, life was good. “Our son was growing and reaching his milestones. I was getting promotions at work,” she said. “It finally felt like we’d made it.”
As a professional pilot, Lisa was used to undergoing aviation medical exams that dictate whether someone is able to fly. Post-treatment, she had medical exams every six months, which included regular visits with her oncologist to ensure everything was fine.
In May 2024, Lisa had an appointment with a new oncologist. She assumed it would be routine – they’d go over her history and he’d sign her paperwork and she’d be off. But it didn’t turn out the way she expected.
Breast Cancer Recurrence
“At my first visit, the new doctor did an exam and found something that concerned him,” she said. Lisa thought it was scar tissue, as the spot was where she had her initial biopsy in 2020.
“The doctor had a breast surgeon look at the spot, and they agreed I needed a biopsy. All I could think was, ‘I had a double mastectomy, what’s left?’” Lisa said. “I thought there is no way this is anything, it has to be scar tissue.”
The biopsy confirmed it was cancer. “It’s a gut punch,” said Lisa. “My wife was pregnant with our second son. It was like déjà vu all over again.”
Lisa had to ground herself from flying and report her new diagnosis to the FAA. Luckily, she had other assignments so she could continue working with her company. “I’m the sole provider, so that’s scary. When you’re a pilot and you can’t fly, you’re out of work and out of luck,” she said. “But I was in management, so I could still work.”
“At this point, we just thought it was in the breast and it was kind of an inconvenience, that we were going to do this all over again,” Lisa said. “I was thinking about how quickly we would get through treatment and what I needed to do to get medical clearance to start flying again.”
Metastatic Breast Cancer
After some back and forth, Lisa’s insurance gave permission for her to have a PET scan. The results were a shock. “I had a spot on my L3 vertebrae and in my sacrum,” she said. “The cancer had metastasized(spread). It never crossed my mind that that would happen. It completely knocked the air out of me.”
Treatment this time around is more complicated and a lot is up in the air. Lisa has had issues with some of the medications she’s on and her team has worked to adjust dosages. “If it doesn’t work, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” she said. “But I am ready to be as aggressive as we possibly can be.”
After her metastatic breast cancer diagnosis, Lisa found herself awake at night while everyone else was sleeping, her thoughts running wild. “I had to change the narrative in my head and needed to find a way to deal with this,” she said. “Find ways to keep my mind busy and keep positive things going.” She signed up for her local Komen MORE THAN PINK Walk, she changed her diet and exercise and she started reading the stories of other women with breast cancer. “It helps not to feel alone,” Lisa said.
Silver Linings
In June, Lisa and Kristin welcomed their second son. The boys bring Lisa more joy than she could have imagined. “Breast cancer the second time hit me harder than the first, it’s a gut punch, especially now that we know it’s stage 4,” she said. “I’ve got to focus on what I can do, on my mind, body and spirit, and channeling my energy into something positive. And the silver lining is I get to be home with our new baby and my family.”
Statements and opinions expressed are that of the individual and do not express the views or opinions of Susan G. Komen. This information is being provided for educational purposes only and is not to be construed as medical advice. Persons with breast cancer should consult their health care provider with specific questions or concerns about their treatment.
