How a Military Mom is Thriving After a Stage 4 Breast Cancer Diagnosis

At 17, while most teenagers were navigating high school hallways, Taysha Gibbs was preparing to serve her country by joining the military. For 27 years, it was her identity. But in 2020, Taysha faced a battle unlike any she had fought before.

That year, as her husband Josh readied himself for deployment to Iraq, Taysha went in for her first mammogram. She had a feeling something wasn't right. The results confirmed her instinct. She had stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. Suddenly, her greatest fight wasn't a military mission. It was a fight for her life.

This is the remarkable story of how Taysha challenged cancer with courage, supported by her unwavering love for her children and the dedicated care team at Ochsner Health.

Facing breast cancer head-on

Having spent decades as a soldier, Taysha was presented with a challenge of a different kind. She turned to Ochsner Health and met with Amy Rivere, MD, a breast surgical oncologist, to create a treatment plan.

Though the treatments were effective, they were also taxing. Chemotherapy sessions left Taysha exhausted, sidelining her from cherished moments with her children.

A holistic approach to healing

While battling cancer is never easy, the care Taysha received from Ochsner ignited hope. Ochsner offers a range of supportive services to help patients feel like themselves again.

Ochsner's integrative approach aims to improve the quality of life for cancer patients by offering acupuncture, occupational therapy infused with yoga and mental well-being sessions.

"Anything we can do to make treatment easier and quality of life better later is the goal," shared Elizabeth Lapeyre, MD, medical director of integrative oncology at Ochsner.

Turning pain into purpose

Throughout her treatment, one motivation drove Taysha forward — her two children. By 2022, Taysha received the news every cancer patient hopes for; she was cancer-free. With no evidence of disease (NED), Taysha could once again focus on living her life to the fullest.

But for Taysha, cancer wasn't just a challenging chapter in her life; it became a source of inspiration. "Cancer did not slow me down; it gave me new purpose," she said.

Ochsner Health: Leading the fight against breast cancer

At Ochsner Health, we're leaders in the fight against breast cancer. We bring together the best doctors and the latest treatments to help everyone facing this tough challenge. We believe in using our knowledge and tools to not just fight breast cancer, but to change the way it's beaten. Our team is full of experts who care deeply and work hard to make things better for our patients.

As Louisiana's leader in cancer care, we have joined forces with the nation's leader in cancer care, the world-renowned MD Anderson Cancer Center, to bring an enhanced level of comprehensive cancer care to our patients. This newly created Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center provides patients in the region with access to cancer treatments that are among the most advanced in the nation.

Routine breast cancer screenings are an important part of preventive care. Screenings can find cancer early, in its most treatable stages, which can help save lives.