Hi, my name is Lauren Perfors. I am a mom of two beautiful young girls, ages 3 and 7. In June 2023, I was diagnosed with Metastatic Breast Cancer. Metastatic means “Stage IV”. By conventional medicine’s standards in the U.S., it means “incurable.” The message that conventional oncology delivers is “you are going to die soon.”
This was not my first rodeo. In 2018, I was diagnosed with Stage III Breast Cancer. I was 4 weeks pregnant at the time, and was initially told to terminate my pregnancy, but I found an innovative oncologist who guided me through treatment while carrying my baby. I underwent a biopsy, a mastectomy with lymph node removal, and Adriamycin Cytoxan chemotherapy during pregnancy. In August 2018, I delivered a happy, healthy baby girl vaginally. Her name is Adelyn, and she was my first miracle baby. Afterward, I underwent 3 more months of Chemo, 2 months of daily radiation, and too many more surgeries to count to fix botched breast reconstruction.
Most importantly, I had no evidence of disease for more than four years. My journey was documented by Courteney Cox in season 1 of the TV series 9 Months With Courteney Cox (a powerful, emotional series with over 1.5 million followers).
I went on to have a second post-chemo miracle baby. Her name is Olivia Jade. She’s a firecracker. Then, in June 2023 when Adelyn was 3 and Olivia Jade was a year old, I was rushed to the ER in an ambulance with severe hip pain (which I assumed was from running, hiking and biking combined with carrying a baby on my hip). Scans revealed Stage IV, Metastatic Breast Cancer. It was in my bones, liver, and abdomen. Well, fuck. Our lives changed forever. I was told I had only a few years to live. Once again, I did not accept the prognosis.
I sought out the “best” conventional care, consulting leading institutions. I participated in two clinical trials, hoping for a breakthrough. Despite their expertise, the message (EVEN clinical TRIALS!!) was always the same: treatment would be palliative—a progression through harsher chemotherapy regimens, meant only to prolong life that result in the Cancer growing stronger after each treatment line while ravaging my body. There was no attempt at a cure. There was no attempt at targeting remission, EVEN WITH CLINICAL TRIALS. With two young daughters depending on me, I cannot and will not accept this as my future. Death is not an option when innocent children need their mother. Death is not an option when I have plans to grow old with my loyal, fun, dedicated husband.
That’s when I broadened my search beyond the conventional system. I researched and interviewed alternative (although they should be called “better” instead of “alternative”) treatment centers worldwide, studied every book I could find, and honed in on immunotherapy, supplements, repurposed medications, and lifestyle strategies.
The more I learned, the more confidence I gained that I can find a way to beat this disease. After extensive interviews, travel to different treatment centers, expensive integrative and functional consults, and costly testing (like RGCC) not covered by health insurance, I decided on a solution: the Williams Cancer Institute’s pulse field ablation + immunotherapy direct injection combined with an integrative approach focused on optimizing the immune system with a combination of whole-body strategies, supplements, off-label medications that target and stop Cancer cell growth, and more. The science just made more sense. So much more sense than slashing, burning, and destroying my body with Chemo and radiation that gave no hope of possible remission.
This hasn’t been easy. My husband and I have poured our savings and assets into my care because my daughters need their Mom. I’m determined to achieve remission someday, and to keep Cancer at bay until I can get there — not just for myself but for my little girls, who deserve to have me here for their milestones, and for my husband, who’s supported me every step of the way. To date, we have spent over $300,000 keeping me alive with innovative and effective treatments that are not covered by health insurance. In addition, we continue to carry over $7,000/month in out-of-pocket expenses like high-dose Vitamin C, supplements, repurposed prescription medications, and more. This has decimated our savings, ruined our credit, and results in six-figure debt that continues to grow each month (because we only dream of having $7k/month in spare cash flow, HA). Everything we had built together for our financial future is gone. Effective treatment adds up fast. “It is only money,” my devoted husband continues to say each month that our debt increases. “Anything for your life.” This is the cost of keeping me alive. This is the cost of giving me a chance at a future.
Thanks for taking the time to read my story. I am on a mission to prove to young women (and men), Mothers, and Grandmothers that Stage IV does NOT need to be a death sentence. FIGHT. Do not give up. I won’t. I plan to watch my beautiful daughters graduate from high school, begin their lives, and support them however I can throughout their adulthood. I plan to enjoy the traveling we’ve put off with my loyal, dedicated husband. I’ll get there. And I’ll keep fighting until I succeed.
I would love your help, however you can. Follow my story on Instagram @RiseforLauren and Facebook (Search “Lauren Perfors – 9 Months”). Donate if you can where you feel comfortable — Venmo @RiseForLauren or GoFundMe.
