October 13th was a day full of emotion, advocacy, surprises, and a whole lot of metastatic breast cancer awareness.

In this episode of Her Cancer Our Story, we recap an incredibly eventful MBC Awareness Day, starting with an unexpected surprise when Kaela’s friends showed up to support her at an early morning Hive session. It was a meaningful reminder that even in the middle of everything, she doesn’t have to do this alone.

From there, Kaela headed straight into a PET/CT scan, bringing all the emotions that come with scan day, especially after the medication roller coaster of the summer. The results? Overall, very positive, giving us another reason to breathe a little easier and feel grateful for where things stand.

We also stopped by a local city council meeting, where the mayor officially proclaimed October 13th, 2026, as Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day. Kaela had the opportunity to speak with the council afterward, and we’re sharing that conversation as part of this episode.

Finally, we get to the main event: LightUpMBC’s live event, where Kaela was honored to be selected as one of the speakers. But as we reflect on the day, the conversation takes a deeper turn. The feelings that have been building beneath the surface come pouring out as Kaela opens up about the heaviness of living in the world of metastatic breast cancer advocacy.

During one particularly difficult moment, Kaela shares how the diagnosing oncologist explained that patients with MBC live an average of 5–15 years. It’s a reality that is incredibly difficult to hear, let alone carry with you as you navigate life with this diagnosis. In that moment, I remind her of what I whispered to her when we first heard those words: “You’re Not Average.”

Those three words have stayed with us, and they mean so much more than a response to a statistic. They’re a reminder that Kaela is a person, not a number. That averages cannot predict an individual’s story. And that even while we acknowledge the realities of metastatic breast cancer, we refuse to let a statistic define the boundaries of our hope.

Because advocacy is meaningful. It’s necessary. It’s a way to fight for a community that deserves so much more. But it’s also heavy. When MBC is your reality, raising awareness isn’t something you can simply turn off when the event ends.

This episode is a look at a day filled with reasons to celebrate, moments of hope, and the complicated emotions that come with carrying this work so close to your heart. Because even on the days when we’re making a difference, that doesn’t mean the weight of it all disappears.

Video recording can be found on YouTube here

Please watch LightUpMBC's live event recording here

In this episode, Kaela and Mike catch you up on what’s been happening in our world, from medication changes and Kaela’s recent appointment at Johns Hopkins to where things stand with her current treatment plan. We talk about the uncertainties and what it looks like to keep moving forward when the plan doesn’t always go as expected.

Kaela also shares a recap of the Young Survival Coalition (YSC) Wellness Summit, an update on her hip issues, and some honest thoughts on Breast Cancer Awareness Month, including pinkwashing and what awareness really means to those living with metastatic breast cancer.

October brings a lot of emotions, conversations, and reminders of why awareness, advocacy, and research matter. We’re sharing where we’re at, how we’re feeling, and what we hope people take away from this month.

As always, thanks for being here, listening, and being part of our story.

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Watch #LightUpMBC2026 here

Watch this episode on YouTube here

As October approaches, we know we’re about to hear a lot about breast cancer and Breast Cancer Awareness Month. But for people living with breast cancer, awareness isn’t something that should only happen in October. It matters all year long.

So this month, we wanted to shine a spotlight on someone right here in our local community who is doing incredible work to support women and men affected by breast cancer every single day.

In this episode of Her Cancer Our Story, we sit down with Stacy Horst, Executive Director of Breast Cancer Awareness, Inc. (BCA). Stacy shares what first brought her to BCA (hint: there’s a very personal family connection to breast cancer), the many resources BCA provides throughout our tri-state community, and her hopes and dreams for the organization’s future.

But this conversation goes far beyond Stacy’s role at BCA. We also get to know the woman behind the title: her own wellness journey, how connecting with people impacted by breast cancer every day has changed her perspective, and how Kaela has had the honor of not only meeting Stacy through this work, but now calling her a dear friend.

And one part of this conversation really excites us: Stacy’s commitment to helping BCA take meaningful steps toward supporting the metastatic breast cancer community.

Whether you’re living with breast cancer at any stage, looking for ways to support an incredible organization, or simply wondering what it looks like when a community comes together to support people affected by breast cancer, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

Because breast cancer awareness shouldn’t end when October does.

Watch on YouTube to see our MBC light setup

Please visit BCA here to learn more.

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