Lisa Francis*
California
Highlights
- 2023 Young Advocate
- Diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer at the age of 32
- Also diagnosed with de novo Li-Fraumeni syndrome
*deceased, 2024
In her role as an LBBC advocate, Lisa hoped to speak out against toxic positivity. She firmly believed that this disease doesn’t care how strong or positive you are, and she served as a living example of this truth.
Lisa aimed to shed light on the aspects of breast cancer that may not receive as much attention outside of LBBC, such as the mental and physical responses to treatment.
She was married to the love of her life and lived in beautiful Orange County, California. She loved cross-stitching, dancing, traveling, playing board games, and binge-watching comedies and reality TV. Lisa had a deep affection for Christmas, snowmen, all animals (but especially birds and dogs), and all things Disney. Most of all, she found joy in being with the people she loves!
I hope my work with Living Beyond Breast Cancer will help validate the experiences of others who may be struggling to navigate a breast cancer diagnosis. There’s no guidebook for this and no such thing as perfection. We’re all doing the best we can, and that is enough.
