Lisa Boccard Breast Cancer Fund
A Profile of Lisa Boccard and Her Breast Cancer Fund
To look at her, you would never know that Lisa Boccard is living with metastatic breast cancer. She’s youthful, attractive, in top shape, and has an enthusiastic personality. Yet Lisa will always be on some type of treatment to battle her breast cancer. Currently, she receives chemo treatments every other week—but she has found a silver lining.
Lisa Boccard’s story with this disease began nearly twenty years ago when, at the age of twenty-nine, she was diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer. The diagnosis came after nine months of visiting doctors and being misdiagnosed.
After enduring a mastectomy, chemotherapy, stem cell replacement, and radiation treatment, Lisa successfully defeated the disease and, after ten years, was declared “cancer free.” That’s why it came as a shock to her when, on September 5, 2003, eleven years and one day from her original diagnosis, Lisa was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer—and given five years to live.
But, from the beginning of Lisa’s journey with breast cancer, she made the decision to fight the disease and make a difference. In 2003, Lisa, her brother Vince (a Coral Springs City Commissioner), and his wife Terry developed the Lisa Boccard & Coral Springs Breast Cancer Foundation and approached Broward Health Coral Springs to be their healthcare partner. Their goal was to help provide free screening mammograms to women in the community who could not personally afford them. Their initiative quickly grew, and, in 2008, it evolved to become the Lisa Boccard Breast Cancer Fund. The mission was then expanded from providing screening mammograms to providing further breast care treatment to financially needy women. To date, the Fund has raised more than $164,000, helping to provide more than 500 mammograms, identify nearly thirty women with breast cancer, and provide follow-up treatment for them.
Lisa’s passion for life and helping other women is truly why the Lisa Boccard Fund has had an immense success. Her ability to inspire those around her, just as she initially inspired her brother to create the fund, is what brings her to do what she does.
And about the five-year deadline that Lisa was given? It has been almost eight years since that prognosis, and Lisa is still as driven, determined, and optimistic as ever. It doesn’t mean that it’s easy, however. “If it wasn't for cancer, I wouldn't be doing any of this. Maybe this is how my life was supposed to turn out,” she says. “I have had twenty-three surgeries since 1991, but I find ways to get back on my feet every time. I do whatever I can to spread awareness about the disease. I encourage women to do breast self-exams, because early detection is everything.” With such positive determination, Lisa has pushed aside a terrifying diagnosis to become a truly terrific breast cancer advocate.
Learn More About the Lisa Boccard Fund
During a North Broward Hospital District Commission meeting, the Lisa Boccard Breast Cancer Fund presented a check for nearly $165,000 to the Broward Health Foundation. The money will be used to provide free mammograms to women unable to pay for them. Pictured above, from left to right: Former chair of NBHD, Rhonda Calhoun; Vincent Boccard; Terry Boccard; and Lisa Boccard.
The above picture is courtesy of Shelly Schmidt of Oh Schmidt Productions.