Ardal - HER2

Happily married. Her cancer was found in both breasts and she has undergone a double mastectomy and seven months of chemo. The cancer recurred in her bones. Frances Wood: Fifty-nine. A dairy farmer. Religious. Religious.

Three years ago she was diagnosed and had a double mastectomy followed by chemo and radiation. The cancer spread to her lymph nodes. A few months later she found a grape-sized lump above her collarbone. It signalled metastases through the chest wall. The cancer was very aggressive. This time she declined any more chemo.

Melissa Chu: A fifty-eight-year-old naturopath of Korean descent with a daughter in med school and a live-in partner, Patsy. She has a strong will, no respect for rules, and a great sense of irony. She discovered the mass in her breast before it spread. She immediately began to treat the cancer with Chinese herbs. She received chemotherapy and had a single mastectomy, followed by radiation. The pathology report identified the cancer as HER2.

A few months later the cancer was found in her ovaries and had spread to her liver. Her prognosis was six months. This was a year ago. She continues to take the herbs. Gloria Deslisle: Fifty-six. She hides her terror with bombastic humour and an attitude that she can take care of everyone whether they like it or not.

She lives in Parry Sound, Ontario, and has been working part-time at Walmart until she was laid off. She has kids in their late teens. She was diagnosed a year and a half ago with a tumour in her right breast and swollen lymph nodes. After surgery, some lymph removal, and chemo, a tumour was detected in her left breast, spreading into the wall of her chest. It was deemed inoperable. She is in this trial to see whether the new drug can stop the spread.

Charlene McBride: Forty-one. An actress. She is always dolled up to the nines. She has a four-year-old daughter. Charlene found the lump in her breast fourteen months ago. She had a mastectomy, ten lymph nodes removed, and then had chemotherapy followed by radiation.