Nicola Heart finds strength after stage IV cancer diagnosis

Nicola Heart, 37, was diagnosed with stage IV metastatic breast cancer in 2020. Doctors gave her a year to live. At the time, she was struggling with severe symptoms, including extreme weight loss, fatigue, and pain. She believed her past experience of losing newborns was the hardest thing she'd face. For months, her cancer went unnoticed, as a doctor dismissed a large chest tumor as a benign cyst. Other signs, like breast changes and lumps, were overlooked. Eventually, Ms. Heart began treatment with an experimental drug called Enhertu after other therapies failed. This targeted drug is designed to attack cancer cells directly while sparing healthy tissue. Following her initial treatment, Ms. Heart experienced significant improvements. She reports that her pain has vanished, and the cancer in her lungs has disappeared. This progress allows her to enjoy life again and make plans to travel with her 8-year-old son, including hiking trips to Belize and Kauai. Despite her improvements, Ms. Heart faces the difficult reality that she may lose her hair due to chemotherapy. She had been using cold caps to protect her hair from earlier treatments, but the stronger drugs like Enhertu are making that less effective. Ms. Heart wants to raise awareness of breast cancer in younger women, as most patients are older. She highlights that an aggressive form of breast cancer can strike anyone, regardless of age. Throughout her battle, her son has been a constant source of motivation. She says, “I’ve had to accept that I’m not in control of this disease. I live in the now.”