Katia Francisco, originally from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and now living in Brooklyn, NY was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013. In 2015 the cancer metastasized to her brain and she has been living with brain metastasis since then. Prior to her cancer diagnosis, she was a home healthcare agent and a great mom to 2 children.
Katia Francisco, originaria de Santo Domingo, República Dominicana y que ahora vive en Brooklyn, Nueva York, fue diagnosticada con cáncer de seno en 2013. En 2015 el cáncer mestatizó en su cerebro y ha estado viviendo con cáncer de cerebro metastásico desde entonces. Antes de su diagnóstico de cáncer, fue agente de atención médica domiciliaria y una gran madre para 2 hijos.
Full Transcript
Katia Francisco:
Hello, my name is Katia Francisco. I am a breast cancer survivor since 2013. In 2018 they detected brain metastasis, and since then, I’ve been living with brain metastasis.
Discovery of Brain Mets
Katia Francisco:
They discovered I had brain metastasis because I started having many headaches. So, I told my oncologist what was happening to me and she sent me to have a CT scan and they discovered something in my brain. And after that, they did many other studies.
Diagnosis & Options
Katia Francisco:
When they gave me the diagnosis of brain mets I went to see 2 doctors. A surgeon and a neurologist to see what the best option was for me – either surgery or radiation.
Experience with 3 Brain Mets
Katia Francisco:
I have had 3 brain metastases. The 1st in 2018. And the 2nd one was found during a CT scan they perform every 6 months and the 3rd one was found in the same manner.
Patient Experience as a Spanish Speaker
Katia Francisco:
As a Hispanic, for the moment I have not encountered any barriers. In this country, everything is available. If you are a Hispanic person, you will always find an interpreter at the Hospital that can help you. If that is not the case, my advice would be to find a friend or relative or someone to accompany you. But, you should not have any fear because there is a lot of help offered here.
Advice for Brain Metastasis Patients
Katia Francisco:
My advice would be for a person who has been diagnosed with brain metastasis is to look for a second opinion so that you can choose the best option, whether it be surgery or radiation. My advice is to always stay positive, to have good healthy nutrition, and most of all, to have faith.
