You probably know a few high school sweethearts who are still together after many years. But you probably can’t name as many junior high school sweethearts.  

Meet Terry and Lisa Wade, who started dating when they were in eighth grade and recently celebrated 30 years of marriage.  

They’ve truly had a fairytale life – two beautiful adult children, three grandchildren, and a love story that has lasted three decades. 

“Lisa means the whole world to me. My whole world is her, the kids and the grandkids,” said Terry. “That’s what I live for.” 

As with all couples, the Wades have had their share of struggles and grief. Lisa’s mom died from breast cancer when their son was four years old, and their daughter was two years old. A few years later, Lisa’s dad died by suicide. 

“My kids grew up without their grandparents. My parents weren’t there to go to sporting events or birthday parties,” said Lisa. “Now, Terry and I have three grandchildren – all under the age of six. We are a close-knit family; they are my whole world and I want to be there for them.” 

Family history of breast cancer 

Lisa was 24 when her mom passed away.  

“I saw my mom go through chemo and witnessed firsthand how sick she got,” Lisa said. “She was my best friend.” 

Because of this experience, Lisa was diligent about getting annual mammograms. She always breathed a sigh of relief when they came back clear.  

Yet, she still had a fear that she was at risk for breast cancer due to her family history. When Lisa saw a new provider at her clinic, she was told she was a good candidate for the MyRisk^® Hereditary Cancer Test with RiskScore.  

RiskScore is a crucial component to hereditary cancer testing because it analyzes family history, personal clinical risk factors, and genetic markers to estimate the risk of developing breast cancer over the next five years and remaining lifetime. 

“My RiskScore indicated that I had an elevated risk of getting breast cancer in my lifetime. Based on these results, I qualified for a breast MRI, a screening in addition to my mammogram,” said Lisa. “The MRI showed two areas of concern in my left breast, so I had a 3D image scan that same week. A week later, they did two biopsies.”  

Five days later, Lisa got the call she had feared: she had invasive ductal and lobular breast cancer. 

“When Lisa told me she had cancer, there were all kinds of emotions going on. There was anger. Not at her, but there was anger,” said Terry. “There was sadness. I was scared.” 

Lisa underwent a double mastectomy and other treatments. Her breast oncologist indicated that she had better treatment options because they caught her cancer early. 

A love story continues 

Lisa credits MyRisk with RiskScore for saving her life. She said if her new OB-GYN hadn’t suggested she take the test, she wouldn’t have qualified for the MRI and the other tests that detected her cancer. 

“The way Lisa handled this breast cancer diagnosis, and this treatment is unbelievable,” said Terry. “It’s amazing because she’s strong, real strong. I’m thankful every day that Lisa had the MyRisk test, and they caught her cancer early because she’s going to be here for her kids, for her grandkids.”  

For more information about Myrisk Hereditary Cancer Test with RiskScore, click here.