BIDMC Patient Combines Therapies To Battle Triple Cancer Diagnosis

BIDMC Patient Combines Multiple Therapies To Fight a Triple Cancer Diagnosis

Yoga has always been a source of peace and tranquility for Vera Ventura. As a longtime yoga instructor who embraced an active lifestyle, she found solace in the studio helping others in class. However, her life took an unexpected turn in 2019 when she discovered a lump on her breast while nursing her daughter.  

She went for a mammogram at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and was diagnosed with bilateral breast cancer at just 39 years old.

Facing a Breast Cancer Diagnosis

The diagnosis came as an utter shock. For over 15 years Ventura had prioritized her health, removing all processed flour, sugar and alcohol from her diet, practicing yoga and incorporating natural healing methods into her daily practice.

Despite her initial hesitation about invasive treatments and amidst the chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ventura took her sudden diagnosis head on. She went through several rounds of chemotherapy and immunotherapy as well as a double mastectomy and breast reconstruction. All the while integrating natural remedies and holistic practices into her treatment and maintaining a positive mindset.

She started documenting her breast cancer journey, sharing the unfiltered moments of treatment on social media and spreading the message, “Breast cancer doesn't own me.”

Navigating Another Unexpected Discovery

While recovering from breast cancer, Ventura began to experience debilitating headaches, which progressed into shooting pains down her spine and loss of balance and appetite. There was a tumor lodged in her cerebellum, the portion of the brain located at the back of the head and just above where the spinal cord connects to the brain. She underwent seven-hour emergency brain surgery at BIDMC to successfully remove the tumor.

For the next year, life returned to a new normal. Raising two young children and returning to her passion of teaching yoga, Ventura continued practicing meditation and prioritizing her nutrition. Her monthly brain MRI scans turned to every two months and then every three months as she headed towards remission.

Until an MRI revealed an increase of activity in her brain. Ventura was diagnosed with Leptomeningeal disease, where cancer spreads from its original site to the cerebrospinal fluid and leptomeninges, the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord. Leptomeningeal disease is rare and currently has no cure.

An Open Approach to Care

In the face of a new diagnosis, Ventura took what she calls an “open approach to treatment.”

“Alternative, holistic, western, I do it all.” Ventura said.

Ventura’s approach to treatment combined meditation, sound healing, acupuncture, essential oils, and other methods. She practiced manifestation and gratitude regularly and even committed to a fast, which she maintained for 67 days. With the guidance of BIDMC medical oncologist Gerburg Wulf, MD, she integrated western medicine with her natural healing, starting a new immunotherapy drug and whole brain radiation.

It was during this time that Ventura decided to take her passion for helping others a step further. She understood the importance of self-advocacy while navigating a cancer diagnosis and decided to help others going through the same journey. She launched her nonprofit, Breast Cancer Goddess, to create a positive community for other women diagnosed with breast cancer to ask questions, share knowledge, access resources and find support in the face of cancer.  

“If this was my last day on earth, this is what I’d want to do,” Ventura said.

Looking Ahead with Gratitude

Ventura is grateful for the care she received at BIDMC as well as the holistic practices that supported her through treatment. Her care team never left her side through various diagnoses and worked with her to find effective therapies that met her and her needs.

“Dr. Wulf has been so generous in my approach to healing”, says Vera, “She is so open. She understands that treatment and healing do not look the same for everyone, and she has given me the space and support to combine different therapies.”

Today, Ventura continues to teach yoga and sound healing and attends the mindfulness lab at Harvard University. She recovered from stage IV metastasized breast and brain cancer but now faces a new diagnosis as a result of her BRCA1 gene, thyroid cancer. Still, Vera sees each day as a gift.

“One day at a time,” Ventura said, “I have my hard days, but I am so grateful to be a mom again. Every day is a gift I do not take for granted.”

Early Detection Saves Lives

Breast screening with mammography is recommended annually starting at the age of 40 for patients at an average risk of developing breast cancer. Those with a family history or other risk factors may be recommended different screening methods and at more frequent intervals. Talk with your provider about the best screening plan for you.

Schedule your annual breast cancer screening at a BILH location near you.