Janice Cowden has been living, and thriving, with Stage IV Metastatic Breast Cancer since 2016. Motivation, knowledge, and passion drives her as a steadfast advocate for enhanced education and understanding of the disease, treatments, and clinical trials for MBC patients.
After her initial diagnosis of Stage I triple negative breast cancer in 2011, Janice learned that her cancer had metastasized, or spread beyond the breast, five years later. As a former pediatric nurse, she was inspired to learn more about the biology and treatment of her disease.
Janice attends annual research-focused conferences centered around breast cancer and strives to improve public education about metastatic breast cancer, and decrease the knowledge gap, through sharing of acquired information. In addition to research advocacy, she serves peers who are diagnosed with MBC as a trained MBC mentor and Helpline volunteer, and as co-founder and Administrator of a Peer-to-Peer Facebook support group for those who are newly diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. Janice, also, partners with organizations, such as METAvivor Research and Support, Inc., that promote legislation intended to benefit metastatic breast cancer patients and their families.
As a passionate research advocate, Janice seeks to expand her knowledge, while contributing the patient’s perspective to the scientific research community. She strives to improve communication between the research community and advocates, while empowering patients to broaden their own understanding of their disease. This empowerment and encouragement provide patients with the confidence they need to make better informed healthcare decisions as an educated partner in their relationship with their oncology provider.
In her spare time, Janice enjoys traveling, reading fiction, swimming, and spending time with her family and friends. She and her husband have two adult children, and three grandchildren.
