In February I taped a story for NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt. Tom Costello is the correspondent and the story is about high medical and drug costs. It will air tonight on NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt at 6:30pm EST. Please tune in to see the story. I will post it when it becomes available online. Thank you NBC for covering a topic that is very important to people with cancer or other chronic diseases. Thank you Tom Costello and your great team. Loved working with you. #metastaticbreastcancer #baldballerina #breastcancer #terminalbreastcancer #nbcnightlynews #medicalcost #drugcost

Today is National Cancer Survivors Day. This is the 3rd time I celebrate this day.
Three years ago today, I was dancing full time and felt wonderful. I looked forward to performing in China with the Joffrey Concert Group. I did not know that cancer was growing inside me and that it had already spread to my sternum, pelvis, and spine. I would learn this in late June 2014. With this news, my life would turn completely around. I stopped worrying about what parts I would dance next year and started worrying about whether I would even be able to dance next year. Thanks to my great medical team, presently, my cancer is stable and I can still dance.
Cancer makes one aware of just how precious life, family, and friends are; that small annoyances are just not worth fussing over. I am grateful for the support I have received from people near and far; for the many new friends I have made; for people who have come back into my life.
Today I celebrate life along with my fellow cancer survivors and hope that a cure is found for terminal stage 4 breast cancer before it is too late for me and the thousands of women who die every year from this dreadful disease. I want to celebrate many, many more National Cancer Survivor Days. If you can, please donate to METAvivor Research and Support Inc. where 100% of your donation goes to research for metastatic breast cancer.
Linda McCarthy of Visual Concepts Photography has taken many beautiful photos of me. She has an artist’s eye for composition and lighting. This is one of my favorites.

Pointe shoes Capezio

Dress Rent The Runway Marchesa

Last night was surreal. It has been three years since I performed with @joffreyschool Thank you Stacey, Gabriela and the Joffrey Ensemble for inviting me to be part of this show to help raise money for @imadanceragainstcancer #terminalbreastcancer #metastaticbreastcancer #breastcancer #baldballerina

Happy Mother’s Day to my mom. She is someone who no one could replace. Ever since I was little and was speech delayed and dyslexic , my mom made sure I got the best help and worked with me tirelessly until I could speak and read at my grade level. Now she makes sure my insurance is paying for everything they should be, checking clinical trials I could possibly join, and so much more. I love my mom so much. Thank you for all you have done for me Mom💗

Earlier this week my Grandmother passed away. She lived 95 years. Grandma had the strength and courage to flee Lithuania during WWII with her family so her children and future generations could live a better life. She opened her heart to so many family, friends and animals who came to her door. I will continue to look up to and admire her for her strength, courage, kindness and beauty. Grandma, I will miss you terribly and I look forward to the day many many many years from now when I hear you say “So what’s new?” Love you grandma. RIP Grandma 💗

GREAT SCAN RESULTS ! ! ! ! No new activity; old lesions are healing. 
I hope this means I have turned a corner. Now life can go back to “normal” for another 6 months.
Thank you for your prayers and support that help me to get through this. #metastaticbreastcancer #terminalbreastcancer #baldballerina #breastcancer 

Photo by @visual_concepts 

Pointe shoes by @capezio 

Dress @marchesafashion @renttherunway

Many, many thanks to Congresswoman Barbara Comstock of Virginia for being one of the few GOP representatives who voted NO on Paul Ryan’s health care act.
 I met Rep Comstock last December when I spoke on Capitol Hill about metastatic breast cancer. I was impressed with her knowledge of breast cancer and her genuine interest in me and the other MBC patients who visited her that day. Even though none of us lived in her district, she spent a lot of time with us and encouraged us to contact her if we ever had problems she could help with. She is a great advocate for breast cancer and we need more legislators like Rep Comstock who have the courage to put American people ahead of political party. I hope she will continue to serve for many, many years.

I am very sad that we lost Doris Ann Price to Metastatic Breast Cancer. Doris Ann and I were members of the 1st Hear My Voice class in 2015 where she pointed out that she was the oldest member and I was the youngest. Doris Ann was an amazing woman and I will miss reading her posts which sometimes inspired and uplifted me and sometimes provided very important information. The world has lost a treasure and I am grateful that I met this extraordinary woman. My deepest sympathy goes out to her family. 
110 women die every day from MBC. Every week I learn of another friend or acquaintance who passed from this dreadful disease. Please pray for a cure for metastatic breast cancer, and if you can, please donate to an organization like @metavivor where 100% of your donation goes toward research for metastatic breast cancer.