Living Strong: My Metastatic Breast Journey

Karen Bierman, 48, is a single mother to three wonderful children: a 10-year-old girl and two boys, 17 and 20. She’s a ThriveWell Diva, a passionate tennis player, a practicing psychologist, an author, and a two-time breast cancer survivor. Fifteen years have passed since her first diagnosis, a milestone that once felt like the finish line. Beyond her professional life and her role as a mother, she finds joy in art, the tranquility of yoga, the simple pleasure of walking, the companionship of her pets, the comfort of her home, the ritual of a good cup of coffee, the satisfaction of gardening, and the genuine connection with others. She even recently learned to play Mahjong – always embracing something new. Read her story, below.

Living Strong: My Metastatic Breast Journey

In 2021, a persistent difficulty breathing led me to multiple visits with my primary care doctor. We chased possibilities – COVID-19, pneumonia, even asthma. My EKG came back normal, offering a false sense of security. But a subsequent chest x-ray revealed a massive pleural effusion, and the biopsy that followed delivered the devastating news: metastatic breast carcinoma.

I remember pulling over on Highway 46 to take that call – my second roadside conversation delivering a cancer diagnosis. Three years ago, in that moment of shock and disbelief, writing these words felt unimaginable. The news of metastatic breast cancer after a decade of remission felt like a cruel joke, a twist of fate that knocked the wind out of me, quite literally.

My initial thoughts weren’t about treatment plans or survival statistics. They were about my daughter. The unbearable possibility that my brother might have to raise her instead of me pierced me to my core.

But here’s what I know for certain, the truths that have taken root and blossomed in the face of this challenge:

  • Cancer is my teacher, not my identity.
  • Hardship refines us if we let it.
  • The gifts I’ve received from this journey didn’t arrive wrapped in pretty packages.
  • Community is more important than independence.
  • Interdependence is magic.
  • Living with purpose transforms suffering.

My journey with metastatic breast cancer is ongoing, but it is also a journey filled with gratitude, connection, and a renewed appreciation for the preciousness of each moment. I hope that by sharing my story, I can offer a glimmer of hope and a sense of community to others navigating similar challenges.