Tulsa Woman Fights To Be Breast Cancer Survivor

This might surprise you, most women diagnosed with breast cancer have no family history of the cancer.  

About 13 percent of women diagnosed have a mother, sister or daughter who've had the disease.  I want you to meet one woman who understood her risk and had hoped to be pro-active in the fight as we Race For The Cure.

Lisa Riley and her soon to be five-year-old son Keaton love this mommy and me time. As the owner of Pinot's Palette, she's always on the go so it's nice to slow down and just paint for fun. Her world came to a screeching halt last year, when after having a preventive mastectomy, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. 

"We planned to have the double mastectomy which we did and I got a call four days later saying that you won't believe this but in the tissue they removed they found cancer and your tissue in the lab and I remember I actually said to the doctor on the phone I think you called the wrong patient," said Lisa Riley.

Lisa knew she was at greater risk for breast cancer since her mom and grandma both had it. So she thought being proactive would make a difference.  Instead, she was headed into 21 weeks of chemotherapy.

"We had just opened our third location, so it was hard to balance that and also trying to be a mom and a wife and also balance work and treatment it was a bit overwhelming. I think at times there were days I just put my head down and just marched and when I'd get home I'd be like how in the world did I get through today and then I'll tell myself, don't even think about it. You did and that's what matters," said Lisa Riley.

Lisa has shared much of her journey on Facebook, showing others the courage it's taken to get through this diagnosis.

"Every morning, I would get up and I would get in the shower, I allowed myself to cry, be really angry, mad feel sad, feel whatever you want to say. I would do it every morning in the shower. But the minute I turned the shower off, I had to stop and from there on I made myself be positive for the rest of the day because I wasn't going to let the negativity win," said Lisa Riley. 

Even without hair, Lisa has powered through treatment and shown others that breast cancer is no longer a death sentence. She was able to finish the chemo and on March 23 of this year, rang the bell for all to hear.

"I can't remember people's birthdays but I will never forget the day I was diagnosed and the day I rang the bell. It will always be ingrained in me almost as my birthday.   I know why they have you ring the bell because it makes you feel like there's serious closure. And Oh my God, it was beautiful," said Lisa Riley.

Lisa says her battle with breast cancer has made her a better mom, a better wife, a better person. She no longer races through the day but takes moments like these to slow down and really take in everything around her.  Lisa will have her family and friends at the race this year.  

Tulsa's Race For The Cure is four weeks from Saturday and we'd love to have you join us as well.   You can form your own team or join mine, go to LeAnne's team on NewsOn6.com for more information.