Team Tony provided me the gift of hope, and thanks to Team Tony, I will be able to participate in a clinical trial that could provide hope to many diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). Through their financial assistance in purchasing flights to participate in Cynvenio’s triple negative breast cancer monitoring clinical trial, Team Tony is supporting scientific efforts to develop a unique liquid biopsy approach to tumor monitoring to quickly and accurately identify tumor genetic mutations within 27 genes known to be altered in breast cancer. Although this lab test can provide peace of mind to any type of breast cancer survivor, perhaps it has an even greater impact on those of us who have TNBC because while it is the least common type of breast cancer, it is the most deadly. We have the lowest 5 year survival rate of women diagnosed with breast cancer, and one-third of us diagnosed with TNBC will have a distant recurrence.
Perhaps this is what makes the phase after treatment so difficult to deal with. It seems to be a waiting game with typical monitoring nothing more than a physical exam by a doctor and scans only if you are having a physical symptom. The potential for a lab test that can identify a recurrence earlier when treatment can be more effective, combined with an integrative cancer approach in diet, exercise, sleep patterns, stress management, and nutraceuticals makes me feel that I am more empowered to beat the odds.
As a single woman who has had to continue working full time to cover the cost of medical bills for cancer treatment, survivorship protocols, and traveling expenses throughout my cancer battle, I cannot thank Team Tony enough for their willingness to purchase my airfare so that I could fly out to CA to be involved in this clinical trial to develop this hopeful new lab test. Without their support, I would not have been able to participate in this trial and I would not have felt as empowered to win this battle. I’m still only 20 months out from my last chemotherapy treatment and 26 months out from diagnosis, so while I cannot yet say that I have won the battle, I can say that I am feeling confident I can beat this, thanks in part to the generous support by Team Tony. Team Tony has given the gift of hope to not just me, but my sister warriors out there who are also in this battle.
~Anonymous
