Sister Saturdays – Alex Cota
In April of 2019, Alex Cota reached out to B4BC’s Event Manager about hosting a “Ping Pong For Tata’s” fundraiser for her birthday. Her reasoning – finding out at 25 years of age that she was BRCA1+ with a family history of breast cancer. Alex’s goal is for more at risk young women to have knowledge of genetic testing, so “Tiny’s Tata’s” the event was born. In only three weeks Alex and her bestie set out to throw an epic Ping Pong Tournament with their friends, raising almost $7K for B4BC.
After a difficult 3 years of testing, scans, and false positives, Alex made the empowered decision to have a double masectomy. And this is where her story continues.
On September 21st Alex will be hosting the 1st Annual Tiny’s Tata’s Golf Tournament in Burlington, VT to support her goal and spread awareness. Read more below to see what September 21st means to her, and what a powerful young woman she is. – Maggie
Tell us where you are on your ‘path’… and would you consider it a ‘cancer journey’ or ‘healing path’? Why? Has anyone in your family also been affected by cancer?
I had my double mastectomy with reconstruction on March 30th, 2020. At that time they placed temporary expanders which I still have today. I should have had the surgery to put permanent implants in already but I am pushing it off as far as I can so I can keep playing golf!
I would call this a cancer journey! Breast cancer has always been a part of my life. My Great Aunt (maternal) had ovarian and breast cancer and ended up passing from melanoma when she was 82. My Mom had breast cancer when she was 37 and at that time was one of the first to undergo genetic testing for the BRCA gene mutation and ultimately found out she was BRCA1+. I had the genetic test when I was 25, a year before I would have began my “10 years prior” heightened screening due to my Mother’s age at diagnosis. I wanted to be sure I even had the gene before being subject to all of that. And, no shocker here, I too am BRCA1+.
From there, I began annual MRI & 3D mammogram’s when I was 26, staggering every 6 months. Three years and multiple call backs, follow-up imaging, three false-positive biopsies, and the mental torture of all of the above, led me to make the decision to have the prophylactic double mastectomy and eliminate my risk all together. It was just two weeks before my surgery that I went in for imaging and they saw ‘something’, they then held me hostage for more and more imaging and another biopsy, to then send me home for a couple days of waiting…It was Sept. 21st that I got the call from my surgeon and the suss lump was in fact breast cancer.
That’s where my journey took a hard detour! Eight chemotherapy treatments and a double mastectomy later, I am officially cancer free!
How have you been managing with Dr appointments/scans/treatments while there is a pandemic?
I finished my chemotherapy treatments on Feb. 28th and was set to have my surgery 4 weeks later. COVID hit just in the midst of this timeframe but thankfully, I was able to move forward. That was a bizarre experience in itself. Since then I have had to go for follow up appointments regularly and there has been no issue at all.
Is there anything in particular that you are doing differently to uphold your health and overall immunity right now?
I probably should be! I am still very much in a ‘live my life’ mentality and doing what it is that makes me feel happy and fulfilled, whether that’s pizza or a hike! Just trying to listen to what my body wants and needs and acting accordingly.
Do you practice Yoga or Meditation? If so, how do they support your overall well-being?
You won’t want to hear this, but I am not a big yoga girl! Too slow for me, which leads me to meditation. I’ve tried too many times and I am just not great at calming myself down. It’s a goal! Just not there yet.
Integrated therapies? If so- Could you recommend any for someone newly diagnosed?
I was getting regular deep tissue massages before the pandemic hit. I had some pretty awful bone pain from a medication they were giving me and massage was a lifesaver.
Do you feel supported through the emotional/psychological aspects of cancer? How do you find support?
There are a ton of support groups out there, it’s comforting knowing just how large of a community the breast cancer world is. I am guilty of not asking for help when I probably should have, but often just knowing they are there if I need is helpful in itself.
Any advice/ things you have learned about managing health insurance with cancer? (Or any concerns about health care you want to share?!)
It was a huge source of anxiety for me during my treatments and surgery, I had to quickly learn how to navigate the complicated healthcare world and ensure I was being billed, charged, and paying everything correctly. Thankfully I have decent health insurance or I wouldn’t have been able to afford my care. Thus, a huge focus for me is to ensure women who need genetic testing, screening, imaging, treatments etc. are able to without worry of the cost.
Today, what is the best way for you to feel GOOD?
Right now, especially with the pandemic post-surgery, I am just trying to do things that make me feel “normal.” Golf has been a huge outlet for me, getting back to working out has been amazing as well! Anything that makes me feel like my pre-cancer self is a win!
Survivorship or Thrivership? Please define what they mean to you.
I think both are a mentality. Life is what you make it and I choose to use my history to grow and make the best out of it. I think thrivership would be a better word for my post-cancer mentality!
Is there any doctor/healer/practitioner in particular on your team you want to give a shout out to?!
I cannot express enough how much my physical therapist has helped me post op. She specializes in breast cancer patients and speaks all around the world about her techniques. My doctors were AMAZING, but what I found was after I was “done” with the treatment and surgery I was on my own. I had a sheet of exercises they told me about while I was jacked up on painkillers and quickly forgot once I got home, but that was it! After surgery I had some serious pain, scar tissue, limited mobility in my arm from the lymph node removal and other little issues that popped up. My PT uses a laser to help break down the scar tissue and reduce the appearance of scars, deep tissue massage to help with scarring and to get rid of the “cording” from my lymph nodes – overall she is a pain reducing, scar healing champ! If it wasn’t for someone telling me that a PT could do all of this, I would have never known.
What are a few words of advice you would offer to someone managing breast cancer right now?
Vouch for yourself and your health, get second opinions, and ask for help when you need it!
