Toms River #LightUpMBC Fun Run

Hi my name is Jennifer Ciaravino and I live in Toms River, NJ. My husband is Joseph and we have two children Isabella (17) and Aiden (13). In November of 2020 I contracted Covid. After 11 days of having the virus I had unbearable pain in the center of my chest and left breast. After seeking attention by many doctors, they just kept telling me I was a “long hauler”of Covid until one morning in January of 2021. I found a lump in my left breast. I went for a mammogram, and they discovered three masses, two in my breast, and one in my armpit. After being told I had cancer I went to Memorial Sloan-Kettering, where I had further testing with a CT scan and a PET scan to see if the cancer had spread anywhere else. At the age of 42 I was diagnosed with stage four metastatic breast cancer. The cancer had spread to several of my bones including my sternum, ribs, left femur, hip, spine, and shoulders. I would go on to have multiple surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation. It was a long 2021. When you are metastatic you are on treatment for the rest of your life. Stage 4 is not curable but it is treatable! Today I am on my second line of treatment and hoping I get many years with it! Once the cancer has outsmarted the chemo, you move onto the next treatment, and so on and so forth for the rest of your life. I pray every day to have as many days, years, moments, memories as I can with my family! I hope to see my kids have a family of their own one day! I will not wait for the good stuff or sweat the small things anymore! Life is a gift!

Tami Eagle Bowling At the age of 41, I heard the words "you have cancer" that changed my life forever. During a routine mammogram, breast cancer was discovered. Since it was also in my lymph nodes, a pet scan was ordered that determined my stage 4 metastatic breast cancer (MBC) diagnosis. My children were just 2 and 4 years old at the time. Even though there is no cure, I was told that I could start an oral chemotherapy that had just been approved by the FDA 3 months prior to my diagnosis.. This treatment has helped me surpass the 3 year life expectancy and is still keeping me alive today. That is the power of research and why it is so critical to keep funding the pipeline. Every night I have the same dream about scientists who have figured out a way to end death from breast cancer. My children have so much to learn about the world and I want to be the one to teach them. I am grateful for every minute of every day.

I recently spoke to several scientists whose work was funded by METAvivor. The progress they are making for the stage 4 breast cancer community is made possible by your generosity. Thank you so much for supporting my efforts to fund critical MBC research.

• 685,000 people a year die from metastatic breast cancer globally
• Only 31% of U.S. MBC patients live longer than 5 years, and only 11% of live longer than 10 years
• 98% of all breast cancer related deaths are from MBC
• Less than 5% of overall breast cancer funding is currently allocated to researching metastatic breast cancer.
• There is NO CURE for MBC

#LightUpMBC is an annual global landmark campaign that shines a light on the importance of awareness and funding for metastatic breast cancer (MBC). Every state in the U.S. and countries around the world illuminate landmarks in the symbolic MBC awareness colors of teal, green and pink on October 13th for Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day.

A virtual broadcast, #LightUpMBC Live, will take place on October 13, 2023 at 8:30 PM ET/ 5:30 PM PT and will feature inspiring stories told by MBC patients at illuminated landmarks and include celebrity guests sharing words of inspiration. The show will be live streamed through LiveOne and viewable on all METAvivor channels including Facebook Live and YouTube @METAvivor and at www.METAvivor.org/LightUpMBC

Contact Jenn at jenn621@gmail.com prior to registering!