Surviving Pancreatic Cancer with the Help of Family, Faith, and Genetics

At 43 years old, Elise Roth Tedeschi was diagnosed with Stage IV pancreatic cancer. She subsequently learned that she carried the same mutation in the BRCA2 gene that her sister Cari, a breast cancer survivor, had previously been found to carry. Elise also learned that this same BRCA2 mutation that had made her more susceptible to developing pancreatic cancer in the first place also increased her odds of survival. Seven years later, Elise's status is NED (no evidence of disease). Her mutation status, her faith, her family, and especially her sister Cari helped her get there. Elise is involved with the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, supporting other patients through a pancreatic cancer diagnosis.