Maribeth Murphy

Welcome to our CaringBridge website.   Following a routine, annual mammogram, Maribeth was diagnosed this summer with invasive lobular carcinoma.  For those fortunate enough not to know much about cancer, invasive lobular carcinoma is a type of breast cancer that begins in the milk-producing glands (lobules) of the breast.  Invasive means the cancer cells have broken out of the lobule where they began and have the potential to spread to the lymph nodes and other areas of the body.  Upon learning abut the cancer, we've sprung into action to learn about the situation and identify the best plan for treatment.  As you can imagine, Maribeth is churning through piles and piles of new medical information at a rapid pace, always asking great questions of her new healthcare team!


After a battery of tests (mammograms, biopsies, ultrasound, MRI) and clinical exams, we've learned the area of cancer is fairly large.  Due to the size and nature of the cancer they are recommending a mastectomy.  At the time of the mastectomy they will do what's called a sentinel node biopsy - this will determine whether the cancer has spread into the lymphatic system.  The extent to which the lymphatic system is involved will determine the next steps.  It's likely Maribeth will have a course of radiation after she heals from surgery.  And, if the pathology results from the tumor and lymph nodes warrant it, she may also need chemotherapy.  But one step at a time...


Maribeth is thankful to have Richard, Megan, Chris, Kelli, and Jack as her "crew" to tackle this cancer with force and grace.  Of course the boundless energy and joy provided by Loban, Abby, Sage and Charlie is a huge boost as well.  Maribeth is also grateful for the tremendous support from family and friends, both near and far!  Thank you for visiting this site - we will do our best to update it as we go. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement.


Love and peace!