Briana Justine Davis Sykes
Mason City, Iowa
Lover of laughter, humor, sarcasm and snark
Aspired to be the ‘next white Oprah’
Champion of the underdog, social worker extraordinaire
Master of living in the moment, with intention and purpose
Beloved mother, wife, daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece, cousin
Friend
It was early July, 2016, that Briana felt a soreness in her breast while playing with Easton, her one year old. Within days, she was diagnosed with Metastatic Breast Cancer (denovo) at the age of 30. This news shaped the remainder of her life, as she endured varied and substantial standard and experimental treatment regimens.
Having stage-4 breast cancer in the Midwest at such an early age is an isolating thing. Via social media, Briana discovered her ‘tribe’: other men and women living with MBC. She fostered relationships quickly, and was able to gain a wealth of understanding about health, treatment options, and navigating insurance issues. It was also thru these friendships that she learned about Metavivor, of which she proudly served as a board member. As part of her advocacy work, Briana marched on Capitol Hill and participated in several “die-in”’s, sharing her story with legislative officials.
Briana’s only desire was to be able to continue to be a mom to Easton. This fueled her determination to live until September 10, 2019, when she passed peacefully. She was 33 years young. Her spirit lives on in her spunky, sweet, smart little man; one of her many gifts to her friends and family.
Briana’s transparency and willingness to share her story continues to inspire those who loved her. While her struggle has ended, we remember what MBC has done to her and to her loved ones. Briana deserved so much more. Easton deserves so much more. Her tribe has become our tribe, and they all deserve so much more. In Briana’s memory, and in honor of our tribe, we encourage all to donate to Metavivor, so that 100% of the funds raised can be dedicated to research. The sweetest reward would be to see our entire tribe to continue to thrive and live their best lives.
