I’ve had many family members afflicted with cancer, including two brothers who are survivors and my father, who lost his battle with prostate cancer.  I still was not prepared to be diagnosed with breast cancer and face a bilateral mastectomy on my 50th birthday.

My name is Lisa Herkenrath.  I live in Topeka, Kansas.  I have two boys, now in high school and college. I enjoy traveling, primarily to National Parks throughout the United States. I have visited over 30 parks and have been to all but seven states. I enjoy gardening, vintage shopping, sports, and running for exercise.  I also love good food with family and friends.

My cancer diagnosis was life changing – my world changed in an instant.  Since my diagnosis in January 2021, I have been unable to work, have missed countless milestones and events, and had to radically alter my active lifestyle.  Through the numerous surgeries, chemo, radiation and hormone and drug therapy I very often was filled with almost overwhelming despair.  My journey was far from smooth, as even my medical team has said I had had some of the worst and most unusual complications and adverse reactions they have seen.  Despite all of this, I have compared my journey to traveling through a tunnel . . . I made it through that dark tunnel and am back into the light.

As a Voice of Hope, I would like to share that light.  I wish to spread that vision of hope to others in the dark tunnel and educate people that a cancer diagnosis is a lifelong journey regardless of the type, phase, state, treatment, or recovery.  My passion is to communicate the message that by supporting the American Cancer Society, we are helping to share hope.  I do not want to just live –  I want to thrive. I want to enjoy.  I want to live life to the fullest!  And that’s what the American Cancer Society can help us do . . .  live our lives.