Unicorn Cancer Thrivers Foundation

10/05/2025

We got married at 33. 10 days later, IBC rug pulled our wishful lives. Yesterday was Inflammatory Breast Cancer Day (IBC). IBC is a type of metastatic late stage 4 breast cancer and it is DIFFERENT. Read this about IBC, so you can save or extend the lives of those you love.

👉🏻 2-5% of breast cancers (~2000/year). - 10% of BC deaths.
👉🏻 NO LUMPS
👉🏻 Stage III or IV at diagnosis (means it has spread)
👉🏻 AGGRESSIVE - forms in just WEEKS to months
👉🏻 Often misdiagnosed as infection
👉🏻 Hits YOUNG, even 20s-40s
👉🏻 Affects all races. Men too.
👉🏻 Skin is swollen, 🍊orange peel-like, thick, becomes crusty
👉🏻 Mammograms often cannot detect
👉🏻 No cure

WATCH for these: uneven breast swelling, bug bite-like spots that don't heal, warm breast that looks infected, breast skin that appears like an orange peel, thickened skin, discolored or flattened ni**le.

Many general doctors are unaware of IBC and write it off as an infection (mastitis). If any of these arise and your gut is sounding an alarm, immediately seek help from a BREAST SPECIALIST as they are best trained to take the right actions.

Unicorn Cancer Thrivers is a charity working to improve the quality of life of those affected by IBC and metastatic breast cancer. Learn more and support us via the link in our bio.

02/01/2025

The recent directive that freezes external communication from the Dept of Health & Human Services (HHS) means that critical scientific review groups cannot meet to review and approve researching funding. Not just for metastatic breast cancer, but for ALL science. The cascading effect of delays is devastating for the MBC community, in urgent need of life-saving/extending treatments. Congress can help. Contact them. METAvivor has created copy/paste templates and links to contact pages. See link below. It takes minutes. Our board did. We all have the power to TAKE ACTION right now. Thank you. 🙏
https://www.metavivor.org/blog/advocate-in-response-to-hhs-directive

01/01/2025

YEAR END GRATITUDE!

Dear incredible Unicorn squad (aka our supporters!),

It has been one of the greatest honors of my life to continue improving the lives of the late stage IV Metastatic Breast Cancer community through our grassroots charity - Unicorn (w/ my star team). It was our dream (my late wife/BFF Janice and I), and we have made good on the promise for almost 2 and half years. But MBC is still incurable, so we're just getting started.

Let me share some highlights from 2024 so far:

💝 Helped raise ~$42,000 for two programs benefiting 1,000+ MBC patients at MD Anderson Cancer Center
🌻 8 quality-of-life related programs supported via funding, advisory, or board involvement (details soon!)
🏛️ Advocated in Congress to improve health care access & increase MBC research funding (partnering w/ METAvivor)
🎧 Featured in a podcast with Wildfire (breast cancer) Community
💚💖🩵 Serving new term as board member at METAvivor and continuing on the Steering Committee at the Advanced Breast Cancer Clinic (MD Anderson)

And now, the impact metrics for 2024 YTD:

$20,000 - direct funding for 8 programs
$42,000 - total impact (direct and influenced funding)
Since our inception in Aug 2022, this brings our combined impact to $126,200 (direct & influenced).

You have made all of this possible. (Encouragement, friendship, support, donations.)

Together, we are changing the MBC story from one of fear to one of hope.

Unicorn Cancer Thrivers Foundation improves the quality of life of Metastatic Breast Cancer patients and caregivers. We fund & advise specialized programs that provide complex treatment navigation, support groups, education, and financial aid for those affected by MBC. We also actively engage in MBC advocacy, awareness, and resource creation.

To give us a year-end tax-deductible boost, you can donate here 💝. https://unicorncancerthrivers.org/donate

Thank you for being the wings that lift us and for fueling the change 🙏🏼❤️. Wishing you and your loved ones a healthy and happy new year full of hope 💫.

With gratitude,
Wang
Founder, on behalf of Unicorn Cancer Thrivers Foundation 🦄

12/26/2024

❄️🌲✨ Wishing you all safe, healthy, and happy holidays. Thank you to all our supporters who fuel our ability to enable better quality of life for those living with MBC and their loved ones.

We continue to fund incredible programs for MBCers and grateful to be part of larger initiatives to scale positive impact for the MBC community.

So that one day we will not have to wonder how many Christmases or new years we have left.

Excited for what’s ahead!

11/08/2024

Brief recap of our DC Congress advocacy trip posted to our blog! Last year, I showed up. This year, ended up as our California state captain! Couldn't have been more thrilled. :D

For the second year, we took action in Congress to represent the MBC community and advocate for increased MBC research, healthcare coverage, and treatment access.

10/13/2024

💚💖🩵 MBC Day today! I joined my amazing MBC friends and advocates last week in 🏛️ ✍️ Congress / Washington DC as part of Stage IV Stampede. We continued to push for increased research, coverage, and access to change the story for those living with and affected by late stage IV metastatic breast cancer.

Approx 100 of us hit 74 congressional offices and covered these hot topics:

$51B+ for NIH
$2.5B for DARPA-H
$ for DoD peer reviewed BC research program
Fix MBC issue in SEER - nations cancer database
Pass MBC Access to Care Act
Pass Cancer Drug Parity Act
Much more!

Incredible and moving experience and day of impact with current and new MBC friends and fellow advocates!

(And thank you to my buddies who took some shots!)

10/04/2024

We got married at 33. 10 days later, IBC seized our lives. Today is Inflammatory Breast Cancer Day (IBC). IBC is a type of metastatic late stage 4 breast cancer and it is DIFFERENT. Read this about IBC, so you can save or extend the lives of those you love.

👉🏻 2-5% of breast cancers (~2000/year). - 10% of BC deaths.
👉🏻 NO LUMPS (rarely)
👉🏻 Stage III or IV at diagnosis (i.e. all over body)
👉🏻 AGGRESSIVE - forms in just WEEKS to months
👉🏻 Often misdiagnosed as infection
👉🏻 Hits YOUNG, even 20s-50s
👉🏻 Affects all races. Men too.
👉🏻 Skin is swollen, 🍊orange peel-like, thick, becomes crusty
👉🏻 Mammograms often cannot detect
👉🏻 No cure

WATCH for these: uneven breast swelling, bug bite-like spots that don't heal, warm breast that looks infected, breast skin that appears like an orange peel, thickened skin, discolored or flattened ni**le. Many general doctors are unaware of IBC and write it off as an infection (mastitis). If any of these arise and your gut is sounding an alarm, immediately seek help from a BREAST SPECIALIST as they are best trained to take the right actions.

Unicorn Cancer Thrivers is a charity working to improve the quality of life of those affected by IBC and metastatic breast cancer. Learn more and support us via the link in our bio.

06/03/2024

🌅💗 To all the metastatic breast cancer survivors and thrivers and those who care for them - your light has never been brighter. We see you and support you, today, and every single day. 💚💖🩵🦄

03/17/2024

(This is a cross-post from our blog! Visit the blog link for photos and links to interviews, podcasts, and more.)

2023 YEAR-END RECAP

Dear partners & friends,

Thank you for being part of Unicorn Cancer Thrivers' circle of support.

Belly laughing while painting faces with your 5 year old. A heart-warming moment with family at the holiday dinner table. Saying “I love yous” before falling asleep.

This is what your past support enabled for those living with Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC).

They are beautiful moments that overcome the anxiety of a terminal illness. Quality of life that matters.

Unicorn Cancer Thrivers Foundation improves the quality of life of Metastatic Breast Cancer patients and caregivers. We fund & advise specialized programs that provide complex treatment navigation, support groups, education, and financial aid for those affected by MBC. We also actively engage in MBC advocacy, awareness, and resource creation.

With your help, 2023 was incredible. Here's what we accomplished!

[Overall Impact]

👉🏼 $41,000 - impact generated directly benefiting the MBC community (direct & influenced funds). $84k since our inception, less than 1.5 years ago!

👉🏼 $19,145 - direct distributions to 6 programs improving the quality of life for MBC patients and caregivers. These programs are part of MD Anderson Cancer Center, Livestrong Cancer Institutes, UCSF Cancer Center, New Hope Chinese Cancer Center, and Wildfire Community.

[Advocacy & Awareness]

🏛️ Advocated in Congress to improve health care access and increase MBC research funding

🎤 Gave speech at a cancer charity event, benefiting Asian Americans and underrepresented communities living w/ cancer

🎙️ Spoke on a breast cancer panel with 90+ viewers

🚴🏼‍♂️ Cycled 65 miles to raise MBC awareness & funds for a cancer institute innovating using patient-centered design

📖 Published in a magazine (Wildfire) for the young breast cancer community

🎧 Invited to a breast cancer community podcast

🎙️ Interviewed as an MBC caregiver

💖 Continued to serve on the Steering Committee of the Advanced Breast Cancer Clinic (MD Anderson)

💙 💖 💚 Nominated to the board of METAvivor, the only large nonprofit focused exclusively on MBC research funding and advocacy [Jan Update: I am now on the board!]

Together, we are changing the Metastatic Breast Cancer story from one of fear and anxiety to one of healing and hope 💝. Thank you for being a special part of our community and fueling the change 🙏🏼❤️.

2024 is going to be amazing.

With gratitude,
Wang
Founder, on behalf of Unicorn Cancer Thrivers Foundation 🦄

With your help, Unicorn wrapped 2023 with some epic accomplishments!

03/13/2024

What an honor to read my MBC essay on the podcast of Wildfire, an amazing community for young breast cancer thrivers and supporters. Just went live on Apple Podcast, Spotify, and others! Here you go!

‎Show The Burn, Ep Let the Mirror Shatter with Wang Shein - Mar 13, 2024