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Marisa | Hereditary Cancer & Previvor Podcast

@marisstache

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Real talk on hereditary cancer & genetic testing
BRCA2+ Previvor | Colon Cancer Survivor
🎙️Host: @brcaandbeyond
⬇️ New episodes weekly

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𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐰 💖Three days before Christmas 2022 I was diagnosed with colorectal cancer at 37 years old. Then came the genetic testing. Then came the BRCA2+ result. And then came the silence.No one was talking about the emotional side of hereditary cancer. The identity shifts. The grief. The fear. The isolation. The impossible decisions.So I built something.BRCA & Beyond is a psychosocial media platform and podcast for previvors, survivors, genetic mutation carriers, and caregivers navigating life after diagnosis.And while BRCA is in our name… this space is for anyone navigating hereditary cancer risk and genetic mutations. BRCA1. BRCA2. Lynch Syndrome. PALB2. ATM. CDH1. If you carry a mutation or love someone who does… you belong here.Real conversations. Real stories. No filters.Follow along and send me a DM… I read every single one. 🌸—————#fyp #geneticmutation #hereditarycancer #previvor #cancersurvivors by @marisstache

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19 days ago

If I had to explain how finding out I carry a genetic mutation changed me, I would say this:I look like myself, but I’m somebody else.From the outside, life looks normal.I still take my kids to school.I still go to work.I still laugh.I still make plans.I still show up.But there is a version of me that existed before that phone call, and a version of me that exists after.Before, cancer was something that happened to other people.Now, it’s part of every major decision I make.Every appointment.Every scan.Every surgery.Every conversation.Every ache.Every unknown.Carrying a genetic mutation doesn’t mean cancer is guaranteed.It means living with information most people never have.Information that can save your life.But information can also change your life.What people don’t always see is the mental load.The calculations.The research.The second-guessing.The wondering.The responsibility of making decisions that don’t just affect you, but your children, your spouse, and your future.The truth is, I wouldn’t go back to not knowing.Because knowing gave me choices.Knowing gave me time.Knowing gave me the opportunity to act before cancer ever had the chance.But knowing changed me.And if you’ve ever felt like there’s a “before” version of you and an “after” version of you…You’re not alone. 🤍————-#BRCA #fyp #Previvor #GeneticMutation #HereditaryCancer by @marisstache

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2 months ago

Hi, I’m Marisa—and if you’re new here, welcome! 💖I’m a BRCA2 previvor, and I’m sharing my journey to raise awareness, offer support, and connect with others navigating this path.👉 How it started:I had unexpected GI issues that led to a colon cancer diagnosis. That moment changed everything.👉 The BRCA discovery:Genetic testing revealed I carry the BRCA2 gene mutation, which increases my risk for breast and ovarian cancer.👉 My decisions to protect my future: • Preventative nipple sparing double mastectomy with reconstruction • Fallopian tube removal (part of ongoing research to reduce ovarian cancer risk)I understand how overwhelming a BRCA diagnosis can feel—the decisions, the emotions, and the unknowns.If you’re on this journey, I’m here for you. My DMs are always open if you want to talk, vent, or ask questions. Sending you all my love 💙#BRCA2 #Previvor #BRCAAwareness #HereditaryCancer #BRCAJourney #BRCA2Previvor #GeneticTesting #BreastCancerPrevention #OvarianCancerAwareness #BRCACommunity #WomensHealth #brca #MastectomyJourney #previvor by @marisstache

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a year ago

Could creatine do more than support muscle health? 🧬A new UCLA study found that creatine helped power dendritic cells…important immune cells that activate T cells, in mouse models and human immune cells in the lab.While the findings are promising, this was a preclinical study. Human clinical trials are still needed before any recommendations can be made.I love sharing new hereditary cancer, genetic mutation, and cancer research to help keep our community informed.I’m not a doctor or healthcare professional. This post is for educational purposes only and summarizes research published by UCLA. 🚨Always talk with your healthcare team before starting any new supplement.💬 Would you like to see more research breakdowns like this? by @marisstache

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Some things just end up being worth every single penny.If you’re preparing for a preventive mastectomy, breast reconstruction, hysterectomy, salpingectomy, or another surgery related to cancer, here’s something I wish more people knew…Before paying out of pocket, ask questions.Talk with your surgeon, hospital, physical therapist, and insurance company about what resources may already be available to you. Depending on your situation, services like physical therapy, lymphedema therapy, lymphatic drainage massage, and other post-operative recovery services may be covered, partially reimbursed, or even provided through your hospital or cancer center.You never know what’s available until you ask.Now I want to hear from you…what’s something you spent money on during your hereditary cancer journey that was worth every penny? 👇—————#fyp #doublemastectomy #previvor #hereditarycancer #geneticmutation by @marisstache

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Being high risk shouldn’t mean being low priority.While establishing care in Florida for my BRCA2 mutation, I was told that because I don’t have an active breast cancer diagnosis and have already had a preventive double mastectomy, I wouldn’t see a breast surgeon…only a nurse, with the first appointment available in April 2027.As a hereditary cancer previvor, that doesn’t sit right with me.Risk-reducing surgery doesn’t erase risk. We still deserve specialized follow-up care.Looks like it’s time to sharpen my pitchfork. 😉Have you had a similar experience trying to establish care as a high-risk patient or previvor? I’d love to hear your story below.———#HereditaryCancer #GeneticMutation #fyp #BRCA #Previvor by @marisstache

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What if one conversation about genetic testing could change the course of someone’s life?In this week’s episode of BRCA & Beyond, I’m joined by Krista Brown, an oncology nurse, breast cancer survivor, and hereditary cancer advocate.Krista shares her experience living with an ATM gene mutation, being diagnosed with Stage 1A breast cancer, and why she’s so passionate about improving awareness of hereditary cancer, expanding access to genetic testing, and helping others make informed decisions about their health.We also talk about the realities of inherited cancer risk, advocacy, prevention, finding community, and why education is one of the most powerful tools we have.Whether you’re living with an ATM, BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2, CHEK2, Lynch syndrome, or another hereditary cancer gene mutation—or you’re simply wondering if genetic testing is right for you—I hope you’ll give this one a listen.🎙️ Listen wherever you get your podcasts by searching BRCA & Beyond, or visit brcaandbeyond.com.I’d love to know what part of Krista’s story resonates with you most. 💛————-#brca #fyp #previvor #genetictesting #cancersurvivor by @marisstache

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3 days ago

One of the hardest parts about living with a hereditary cancer mutation is wondering what the future holds.The encouraging part? The future isn’t standing still.Every study, every clinical trial, and every new discovery helps researchers answer questions they couldn’t answer a few years ago. It helps doctors make more informed recommendations, gives families clearer information, and moves us closer to personalized medicine, better genetic testing, earlier cancer screening, and more effective cancer prevention.Whether you carry a BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2, ATM, CHEK2, or Lynch syndrome mutation, or another hereditary cancer syndrome, research continues to shape the future of care.Progress in medicine rarely happens overnight. It’s built one study, one discovery, and one patient at a time.That’s why I believe it’s worth paying attention…not because every new study will change your care tomorrow, but because today’s research has the potential to become tomorrow’s standard of care.💗 I’d love to know… What area of hereditary cancer research gives you the most hope?—————#brca #previvor #hereditarycancer #fyp #cancersurvivors by @marisstache

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Three days before Christmas, Marisa got the diagnosis no one saw coming. It was colon cancer. She was 37. Healthy. No family history. Then came the stomach pains, the bloating, the blood in her stool — and finally, an answer she never expected.⁠⁠Comment DIAGNOSIS and we will DM you Marisa’s full story! ⁠⁠#coloncancer #coloncancersymptoms #coloncancerdiagnosis #thepatientstory⁠ by @marisstache

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4 days ago

There are conversations I’ve had more times than I can count since becoming a previvor.Not because people are trying to be hurtful. Most are simply trying to understand a reality they’ve never had to live.The truth is, there are no perfect answers when you’re navigating hereditary cancer risk. Every decision comes with uncertainty. Whether you choose preventive surgery, high-risk screening, or you’re still figuring out what feels right, you’re making the best decision you can with the information you have.One thing I’ve learned is that the people who matter most don’t need to agree with your decisions to respect them.If this reel felt familiar, I hope it reminds you that you don’t have to carry those conversations alone.💗 I’d love to hear from you. What’s one question you’re tired of being asked? Or what’s one question you wish more people would ask instead?—————#brca #previvor #hereditarycancer #fyp #cancersurvivors by @marisstache

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5 days ago

One of the hardest parts of living with a BRCA, CHEK2, PALB2, ATM, Lynch syndrome, or any genetic mutation isn’t always the appointments or surgeries.Sometimes it’s learning how to keep living while your brain is constantly trying to protect you from what’s next.When you’ve experienced cancer, are navigating life as a previvor, or are making decisions after genetic testing, your mind naturally wants certainty. It wants to solve tomorrow before tomorrow gets here.But life doesn’t wait until everything feels safe.There are still sunsets to watch.People to hug.Conversations to have.Memories to make.Fear may always have a seat at the table, but it doesn’t have to make every decision.If this found you on a day when your mind is racing ahead, I hope you’ll come back to this whenever you need the reminder. 💖Save this for later, and if someone in the hereditary cancer community, a fellow cancer survivor, previvor, or someone living with scanxiety needs to hear it today, send it their way. by @marisstache

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The waiting can feel just as hard as the appointment itself. 🤍No one really prepares you for the days between the test and the answer.The refreshing of your patient portal.The phone calls that make your heart race.The conversations in your head.The wondering.The waiting.If you’ve ever experienced scanxiety while waiting for biopsy results, pathology results, genetic testing, an MRI, CT scan, mammogram, or colonoscopy, I hope this episode makes you feel seen.In this week’s episode of BRCA & Beyond, we’re talking about one of the least discussed parts of living with a genetic mutation, hereditary cancer, and life after a cancer diagnosis…the emotional weight of waiting for answers.If you’re in that space right now, this conversation is for you. 🤍🎙️ Listen now wherever you get your podcasts. by @marisstache

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