Tara Mansir's Profile Page

Cancer Symptoms

My original diagnosis was in September of 2008. My only real symptom was light vagianl bleeding after intercourse, thankfully I never missed a yearly exam.

Surgery Description, Dates & Side Effects

Chemotherapy, Radiation, and internal radiation

Radiation or Proton Therapy Description, Dates & Side Effects

menopause (there had to be some bonus!).

Chemotherapy Description, Dates & Side Effects

Loss of hair and nausea

Fundraising Description

LI2Day, Ellen’s Run, Birdhouse Auction, GNO (2 different ones). I have been actively involved in fundraising for Breast Cancer/Women’s Cancers since 2006. I have recently co-founded a not for profit organizaiton, “Nana Cares – The Kattie O. Berkoski Foundation” in honor of my mother who lost her battle with Lung Cancer on March 10, 2010. The organization provides financial and emotional support for those struggling to meet medical expenses due to circumstances beyond their control. We are new, but we are up and running. Our first fundraiser was July 16, 2011 and was a wildly successful “Sock Hop”. We raised almost $10,000. Our next even is a “Christmas Cash” raffle and we hope to raise even more!

Clinical Trials

I am in a random trim to determine the best “cocktail” to reduce the side effects of chemotherapy, at MSKCC. I receive paxalt and topotecan three days in a row every three weeks. I will remain in the trial as long as the tumors are shrinking, or at least not growing. I have a CT Scan every three cycles and of course all of my blood work, side effects are very tight ranges. Apparently I received the best of the bunch because I am having very few side effects and my tumors are shrinking!!

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