Trisha’s journey started in 2018. Two weeks after she had given birth to her third and final child, Trisha’s father went into hospice for pancreatic cancer. It was during this time that he shared that he carried the BCRA gene. A few weeks later, Trisha felt a lump but was dismissed by her doctors. In the months that followed, she experienced other symptoms, but they were all attributed to being newly postpartum and dealing with the loss of a parent. The lump remained. Her doctors thought it was a clogged milk duct but sent her for an ultrasound and mammogram. It came back as a stage 2 breast cancer diagnosis. When she did the full body scan two weeks later, the bone scan came back positive in her spine. In 2020, at just 31 years old, Trisha was diagnosed with stage IV denovo metastatic breast cancer.
She was shocked but with no time to waste, Trisha jumped into treatment. She has been through numerous surgeries and treatments to remain stable the past four years. Now on her third line of treatment, the cancer has progressed once again. For Trisha, advocacy and educating herself have been most important. She runs support groups for other stage IV metastatic breast cancer patients. Trisha along with her family, friends, and community have also managed to raise upwards of $88,000 for metastatic breast cancer research and to help financially support other local families affected by terminal cancer.
Trisha purchased her home with the intent of putting in some work to make it her own. Her children have been central to her strength and the reason for continuing systemic therapies. The difficulties of treatment and her health have made it very challenging to maintain the house, let alone finish her projects and she wants her children to have the home they deserve. With the help of our friends at CertaPro, we were able to paint the interior of the home for Trisha and her family.
“Programs like FAB-U-WISH matter because they bring beauty, dignity, and encouragement into people’s lives during incredibly difficult times. For those going through breast cancer, it’s not just about the practical gift—it’s about feeling seen, supported, and uplifted. For the broader community, it shows the power of kindness and reminds us that even small acts of giving can have a big impact!”