At age 39, Miranda found a lump in her breast and was told it was nothing, which lead to a new lump 6 months later and a diagnosis of Stage 3 hormone positive IDC. What followed was a year that included chemotherapy, a double mastectomy with immediate DIEP flap reconstruction, and radiation. Being a young Hispanic woman, she often felt out of place among the mostly older non-Hispanic patients. Most support groups she encountered were populated with women who were mostly affluent, had retired or had adult children. A year after finishing active treatment, she began to volunteer at Houston Methodist Hospital on the infusion floor as a CanCare.org volunteer, visiting with patients while they go through chemotherapy infusions. She also began to lead the HMH local breast cancer support group, in conjunction with Reconstruction of a Survivor. She is a volunteer turned employee with Wig Out.org, which offers free wig kits to uninsured and underinsured women, out of Smith Clinic and LBJ Hospital, part of Harris Health Systems in Harris County. These three activities allowed her to meet women at the beginning of their diagnosis, helping her to seek out young Hispanic women that needed the support she did not have. She is a YSC RISE Advocate, a Project Lead graduate, an Advisory Council Member with Active Living After Cancer, a parent committee member with her local Kesem at University of Houston chapter, as well as an Ambassador with For the Breast of Us, an online community dedicated to supporting women of color diagnosed with breast cancer, Lastly, she’s recently accepted a position with SHARE Cancer Support, working with the “Our MBC Life” podcast, which is dedicated to amplifying the voices and sharing the realities of those living with metastatic breast cancer.
Miranda resides in Houston, Texas with her husband of 20+ years and their five children.
Miranda Gonzales
Hosted
Guest Engagement Manager
There’s a FDA- approved diagnostic imaging agent developed to comprehensively evaluate estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) lesions in recurrent or metastatic breast cancer as an adjunct to biopsy. By creating a “whole-body” picture of ER+ lesions, Cerianna may be a helpful diagnostic tool in helping oncologists better determine the most appropriate course of treatment. Learn more in this episode.