The Elephant’s Path
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“Elephant path is a name for a path that is formed in space by people making their own paths and shortcuts; it is an unofficial route” — also known as a Desire Line. – Mari Keski-Korsu
It was a routine visit to the cancer center that got me thinking about the route I took and how I always favored this one particular path to get to the main entrance. I preferred it over the sidewalk because, not only was it faster, but it meant I could avoid crossing a busy roadway that seemed like nobody really knew who had the right of way. Inspiration strikes in funny ways.
Seven years have passed since my diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer (MBC), and during this time, I’ve not only learned to navigate a life with the cloud of an incurable cancer diagnosis looming above my thoughts and dreams, but it’s also been a time that I delved into advocacy. I needed to find purpose outside of my own experience to help cope with this unimaginable weight, and I found it by trying to humanize the cancer experience in an effort to help others connect and understand — as much as is possible in such circumstances — with my experiences. This, I hoped, may move some to action as action is what’s needed to improve outcomes.
But back to the path. In many ways I’ve used the figurative elephant’s path to navigate my way forward since my diagnosis, from the literal sense — using a shortcut to the cancer center to bypass a terribly designed intersection —to a symbolic one—finding my own way forward to live with purpose despite the burden of cancer.
MBC thankfully remains a small segment of the breast cancer population, but because it’s also the understandable fear of many, it‘s been shrouded in a cloud of darkness and inaction for a very long time. This cloud has had unfortunate consequences, from alienating people with the most severe form of cancer to the delay of actual progress in breast cancer treatments and prognosis. Thankfully, over the years, there’s been a steady and unwavering push in the MBC advocacy space to change this. I give credit to the trailblazers in the MBC community who began to carve the way with their own stories, speaking out and refusing to be ignored in a space that too often preferred this route. A path was formed.
I’ve always felt like my first foray into advocacy began with standing up for myself upon my diagnosis of MBC with the insistence that I needed to work with an oncologist that was better aligned with my goals. It meant acknowledging that the treatment I received during and after my early-stage diagnosis was not ideal or therapeutic or, frankly, very good. It was daunting and outside of my comfort zone to make these waves, but I knew that my life was held in the balance. Looking back, I can see clearly that these scary steps forward changed the whole trajectory of my experience, and I firmly believe it is the reason I remain alive today. It is why I continue to advocate in the MBC space. I know the impact that speaking up can have.
And while I have a much better patient-doctor relationship with my new oncologist, many unknowns remain. He is very truthful in acknowledging that the treatments that keep my cancer stable are relatively new and without much long-term evidence to help guide treatment decisions. We address blips in my care as they arise, knowing that I am part of a group of patients living with MBC far longer than initially expected. We are creating a new path, one treatment decision at a time.
Advocacy has given me a way forward through the tears, anger, and grief of MBC and also through times of fortitude and resolve. I’ve experienced wins and satisfaction with some of my collaborations as well as frustration and disappointment with other efforts that went no where. But all in all, advocacy work has allowed me to channel my energy in a fulfilling way; looking beyond my own personal experience to create a sense of purpose and legacy that I can be remembered for.
Despite all the unknowns that remain in the MBC space, advocacy is helping us move forward. It is the elephant’s path towards hope. And while the path forward may not always be obvious, I trust that we’re moving in the right direction.
Vesna • she/her • Retired Community Health Nurse. Diagnosed at 38. IDC, Stage II. ER+. PR+, and then Stage IV at 42. Vesna leaned into a patient advocacy role when her diagnosis happened as she quickly realized how much could be gained with a better understanding of the patient’s lived experience. Vesna’s been part of many collaborations, campaigns and projects in the breast cancer space. She’s shared her story with a wide audience, working closely with Rethink Breast Cancer, who’ve often amplified and supported her efforts. She’s a public speaker, established fundraiser, published author and dedicated volunteer to a young person’s breast cancer collective in Ottawa, Canada. Outside of her cancer story, Vesna fills her days as a supportive mother and wife. She enjoys cheering her family’s pursuits at the hockey rink or concert hall, spending time in nature with her favorite dogs or playing in Ottawa’s local film scene. Her camera is ever ready to document the joys in her life. Vesna’s able to do all of these things with an unapologetically hopeful heart while being in active treatment that keeps the cancer (relatively) stable. • @vesna.mbc.lens
Rethink is honoured to be the guest editor for Wildfire Magazine’s annual Metastatic Breast Cancer issue focusing on Advocacy.
This piece has been republished with permission from WILDFIRE Magazine, the “MBC Advocacy” issue issue, published originally October 19, 2024. More information available at wildfirecommunity.org
WILDFIRE Magazine is the only magazine for young women survivors and fighters of breast cancer under 45 years old. Headquartered in Santa Cruz, California, WILDFIRE is a beautiful, story-based bi-monthly magazine published on different themes relevant to young women survivors, from stage 0 to stage IV. Beautiful and ad-free! Visit wildfirecommunity.org for more info.