On Our Own Terms: Six Women on What October 13th Really Means

Living with MBCPatient EmpowermentOn Our Own TermsNonprofit & AdvocacyPatient AdvocacyCommunity & SupportAwareness & Policy
Written By LiveFromStage4 Podcast

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Live from Stage 4 | Episode #049| 10/20/2026 | On Our Own Terms

GUESTS

Dr. Kelly Shanahan, MD, is a dedicated metastatic breast cancer advocate, research reviewer, and former OB-GYN whose personal journey transforms her clinical expertise into powerful patient-centered action. After a successful 22-year career in private medical practice, her own stage IV diagnosis in 2013 shifted her focus from treating patients to fighting for their lives on a national scale. Today, she serves as the president of the board of directors for METAvivor, collaborates with leading oncology organizations, and reviews federal research grants to ensure that the voices of those living with stage IV cancer directly shape the future of medical science.

Martha Carlson is a prominent metastatic breast cancer advocate, writer, and speaker dedicated to transforming the oncology landscape. Diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer in 2014, she uses her patient experience to bridge the gap between researchers and the cancer community. As a co-leader of the Patient-Centered Dosing Initiative, a columnist for CURE Magazine, and a host/producer of the Live from Stage 4  podcast, Martha champions clinical trial equity, patient-researcher partnerships, and treatment dosing strategies that prioritize long-term quality of life.

Melanie Sisk was a wife, mom of two young boys, and working full-time as a Registered Nurse when she was diagnosed with Stage 1A Breast Cancer at the age of forty-three. She completed her recommended surgery and radiation and was on endocrine therapy. Melanie thought she had put cancer behind her because she did everything right. However, she was diagnosed with Metastatic Breast Cancer at the age of forty-seven. Due to her metastatic treatment protocol and disease, she retired from her nursing career. Melanie has dived into advocacy work with an urgency to do what she can, while she can. She helped to start and moderate a local support group in her area of North Carolina called Piedmont Triad METsters. She is a trained volunteer with Cancer Services, Inc. and a Peer to Peer Support Group Leader and Light Up MBC State Captain for METAvivor. She is a Living Beyond Breast Cancer 2023 Hear My Voice MBC leadership alumna and a mentor with Project Life. She also serves on the MBC Leadership Committee for Surviving Breast Cancer. She is also a part of the new initiative, PIK3CA Pathbreakers.

Lisa Backus is an award-winning reporter who currently covers breaking news and criminal justice policy for Hearst Connecticut Media Group.

Professional Profile

  • Role: Staff Writer and crime reporter for several publications under the Hearst umbrella, including CT Insider, the New Haven Register, and the Stamford Advocate.

  • Focus Areas: She specializes in local, state, and national breaking news, with a particular emphasis on criminal justice policy and significant trials within Connecticut.

  • Recognition: Her work has earned various local, state, and national journalism awards.

Amy Russell-Parliman, MHA, is a healthcare executive, metastatic breast cancer advocate, and survivor who powerfully bridges clinical operations with national patient advocacy. Professionally, she serves as the Senior Administrative Director of Diagnostic Imaging at Garnet Health in upstate New York, leveraging over 15 years of healthcare leadership and her clinical background as a radiologic technologist. Diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer in 2014 and metastatic invasive lobular carcinoma (mILC) in 2019, Amy dedicates her journey to empowering patients and advancing research. She serves on the Patient Advocate Advisory Board for the Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance (LBCA), is an active member of the Metastatic Breast Cancer Alliance, and co-leads a specialized virtual peer support group for Stage IV mILC patients with METAvivor. A graduate of NBCC’s Project LEAD and LBBC's Hear My Voice programs, Amy frequently serves as a panel moderator, oncology educator, and Department of Defense research reviewer to ensure the patient voice remains central to healthcare advancements.

Teri Pollastro is a prominent metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patient and research advocate based in Mercer Island, Washington. Diagnosed with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer in 2003, she has navigated her condition for over two decades by combining standard oncology treatments—such as chemotherapy and targeted therapies—with clinical trial participation, including a Phase 1 vaccine trial. Her long-term survival and extensive experience have fueled her commitment to shifting the landscape of breast cancer research and improving patient care outcomes

Quick Summary

Every October, the world turns pink. But October 13th is Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day, and for people living with stage 4 disease, it means something very different. In this special episode, recorded over two days, host Victoria Goldberg talks with six women living with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) about pink-washing, advocacy, loss, and joy.

Content note: this episode includes strong language and discussion of death and loss.

Our guests

Day one

  • Dr. Kelly Shanahan

  • Amy Russell-Parliman

  • Melanie Sisk

  • Lisa Backus

Day two

  • Martha Carlson

  • Teri Polastro

What we talk about

  • The Stage 4 Stampede, METAvivor’s advocacy event in Washington, DC, and the film Our Lives

  • Pink-washing: how to tell when pink actually helps patients, and why Kelly says October should become Breast Cancer Action Month

  • #LightUpMBC Live, METAvivor's biggest fundraiser, and how communities mark October 13th

  • How each guest found advocacy, and why there's a place for everyone

  • Is the sense of urgency fading as treatment improves?

  • Loss and remembrance: how we honor those we've lost

  • Friendships formed online, and why they matter

  • What this podcast means to us, and what's next

A little history

  • Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day. The Metastatic Breast Cancer Network (MBCN), founded in 2004, helped win a New York City proclamation for October 13th in 2007. In 2009, Shirley Mertz led the push that led the Senate and House to pass resolutions making it National Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day.

  • METUP. Founded in 2015 by Beth Caldwell and Jennie Grimes, two women living with MBC, and modeled on the AIDS activist group ACT UP. Its die-ins, including one at the U.S. Capitol on October 13, 2015, honored the people who die of MBC every day.

Organizations, programs, and people mentioned

Ways to take action

  • Ask where the money goes. Before buying anything pink, look for transparency about how much goes to research or patient support.

  • Contact your representatives about the Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act and the Oral Drug Parity Act: [link]

  • Support organizations you trust. Many of those above need donations and volunteers.

  • Join #LightUpMBC. Request a landmark in your area or join a watch party.

  • Ask your doctor the hard questions. As Kelly says, that's the first step in advocacy.

In memory

We remember the people we've lost, including Dar Finkelstein, the Queen of Joy, who joined us in March 2026 and passed away in April. Listen to her conversation here

We also remember Beth Caldwell, Shirley Mertz, Jill Tirabassi, Lisa Laudico, and Amy Beimer, and everyone whose names were spoken in this episode.

Quotes

"I'm not a color and I'm not a ribbon." — Amy

"We need to change the narrative, and it needs to become Breast Cancer Action Month." — Kelly

"I'm not celebrating cancer… I'm celebrating still living." — Melanie

"Every death breaks my heart, but it strengthens my spine to continue to do this work while I can." — Kelly

Credits

Hosted and produced by Victoria Goldberg. Thank you to Kelly, Amy, Melanie, Lisa, Martha, and Teri for their honesty, humor, and courage.

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