Lily was diagnosed with de novo metastatic breast cancer in October 2020, at 50

Before she started chemotherapy in November, she learned the cancer metastasized to her spine. “I was devastated,” she said. “But I told my oncologist that whatever there is to do, I wanted to do it.” Lily underwent chemotherapy and radiation to her spine before her double mastectomy and reconstruction. She completed one year of immunotherapy and remains on tamoxifen.

For the last six years, her scans have shown no evidence of disease. However, she developed severe chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy in her hands and feet, which has impacted her ability to perform procedures in her role as a senior physician assistant. “I used to do a lot of procedures with my hands, but now it’s super painful,” she said. “I’m still trying to understand how to manage the chronic pain and deal with my limitations. That’s the hardest part.”