Left to right: Emebet Sileshi, Chris Lisi, Badjo Kouadio, Chris’s best friend, Lona Valmoro
Christina Lisi’s personal foundation is built upon community. After receiving a breast cancer diagnosis, she reached out to friends and family, who rallied around her as she sussed out care teams and treatment options. And when she chose GW’s Breast Center and Cancer Center as her cancer journey partners, she built a whole new community that walked beside her every step of the way.
“I don’t carry the [BRCA] gene, but my family has a long history with breast cancer,” said Chris, “so I’ve been getting diagnostic mammograms every six months for the past 15 years or so.” Her scans detected abnormalities in November, 2023, that required further evaluation, resulting in a diagnosis of Grade II breast cancer in both breasts.
“I was terrified. I’m a mom, I had just started a new job, and had just closed on a new home that I was in the middle of renovating it. It was so much all at once.
“There were lesions in both breasts, and post-surgery I found out I had some positive lymph nodes. I know so many women who have had breast cancer and so there was definitely a sense of panic. I knew the most important thing I could do was assemble my dream medical team,” Chris said. She looked to GW for those medical gurus.
Chris knows GW well. Both her babies (who are now young adults) were born at the hospital, and the MFA has been her go-to for healthcare. She turned to surgeon Christine Teal, MD, Chief of the Breast Care Division, for a double mastectomy. The next step was radiation, with the goal of eradicating every last cancer cell. Dr. Teal recommended her GW Cancer Center colleagues, Sharad Goyal, MD, Division Director of Radiation Oncology, Pavani Chalasani, MD, Division Director for Hematology and Oncology, and Dr. Sean Wallace for reconstructive surgery for the next treatment steps.
After meeting with Drs. Goyal and Chalasani, Chris was impressed: “My initial instinct was to have them on my dream team, but I did my due diligence and talked to other cancer centers. I kept coming back to them because they gave me the confidence that I was going to come out of this beating my cancer. Dr. Goyal was so patient and so kind. He answered all of my questions and if I asked again, he answered again. He even zoomed with family and friends to assure everyone in my immediate care community felt like I was being as aggressive as possible, and coupling up with medical professionals we all felt comfortable with. Every member of my care team was constantly in communication with each other, tweaking my care protocol as necessary.”
The radiation technicians played a big part in Chris's treatment. “I can’t say enough good things about Emebet Sileshi and Badjo Kouadio. Oh, my gosh, I love them. I saw them every day during my daily treatments for five weeks and on the last day, they blasted Celebration (no bell ringing for me!) and then we danced and celebrated (and cried a bit) wrapping up this crazy time in my life,” said Chris.
Treatment didn’t end with the last day of radiation. Chris is taking an oral chemotherapy medication and a few other pills for the next decade, to prevent recurrence. “I’ll continue seeing Dr. Chalasani to make sure everything is going in the right direction,” said Chris. “She is just the greatest, greatest, greatest. She’s been amazing — helping me navigate through all of this and I’m so fortunate to have her on my side. I really count on her.”
Through all the ups and downs of her breast cancer journey, Chris didn’t just fight for herself—she built a community that lifted up everyone around her. She showed that even in the toughest times, no one has to go through it alone. Her strength, kindness, and determination brought people together, turning struggle into connection and hope. Chris's story is a reminder that the support and love that comes from the community can make all the difference.
