Help a local girl with cancer achieve her dream of meeting the Avett Brothers

Fort Cherry Graduate and current Mt. Washington resident, Talia Piazza, never dreamed she’d battle cancer twice before she turned 30! Today she’s asking for your help to fulfill a dream of meeting The Avett Brothers at the Firefly Music Festival in Delaware June 24 for her 30^th birthday!

“I want to meet the avetts because they inspire me and they make me feel good deep down in my soul. I like to think that my story might be able to do the same thing for them,” said Talia.

With no family history of cancer, the diagnosis was shocking. While she couldn’t quote any specific statistics, Talia’s certain the odds of being diagnosed with breast cancer twice before the age of 30 is pretty rare. Talia was tested for the breast cancer gene but it came back negative. She’s becoming a true mystery to doctors.

“I don’t know the specifics of being diagnosed with cancer in general twice before the age of 30,” said Talia. “But I do know the recurrence in the internal mammary nodes of having a bi-lateral mastectomy and chemo is something like 3%. Pretty crazy!”

Talia and her friends have started an online campaign hoping to attract the attention of the Avett Brothers in hopes to meet them when she attends the show. Of course, Talia wasn’t letting a little bout with cancer stop her from attending because she’s even scheduled the treatments around the trip!  

“Music has always been a huge part of my life,” said Talia. “I love how it can touch and connect people with feelings they were never able to put into words themselves. The looks I’ve got from people when I told them that I’m scheduling treatments around a music festival are priceless. Of course getting healthy is my number one priority, but I refuse to let cancer take over my life and take away the things that bring me joy. It’s also my 30^th birthday. There’s no way I’m spending my 30^th all sick and tired while my friends are having the time of their lives sitting in the sunshine, listening to music.”

Talia calls herself a major fan attending numerous concerts (even driving through a blizzard to see them in Wheeling, WV a few months back), owning every album and “pretty much watched every crackerfarm Youtube video ever posted at least 5x’s.” According to her, the Avett Brothers don’t just make music, they inspire her and “warm her soul.” She’s hoping to not only meet the guys, but have a beer and snap some photos to hang in her home for memories.

“One of my favorite quotes ‘where words fail, music speaks.’ That’s what the Avett’s music does for me,” said Talia. “It’s like they have climbed into the deepest depths of my soul and put my feelings and dreams into beautiful lyrics and harmonies. They are so real and honest and talented. It would just be an honor to meet them.”

Of course, if she can’t meet the boys Talia is hoping her plea for one special song finds its way into the set list and that song is “Sanguine.” According to Talia’s blog, “it’s such a beautiful song and it has deep sentimental meaning for me. Sanguine: cheerfully optimistic; red in color. That’s my soul word!”

Lyrics aren’t the only reason she loves the song, in the cancer world the type of chemotherapy treatment Talia’s currently receiving is nicknamed “the red devil” because of its blood red color. Once her treatment is completed, Talia’s planned a special tattoo with the word “sanguine” and her diagnosis dates with a peace sign to make everything “sanguine.”

Flashback to 2008, 25-year-old Talia was caught up in the Christmas spirit with plans to meet her sister and do some last minute shopping before the big holiday.  This particular day started like any other, but ended with a shocking discovery - a lump the size of a golf ball while putting on lotion. Talia was unsettled by the lump and made an appointment with her gynecologist immediately. The doctor recommended a mammogram and ultrasound immediately after Christmas. Not exactly the Christmas present she was hoping for!

After the tests were completed, the doctor delivered the stunning blow. In her blog, Talia shared how the those initial words from the doctor – “I’m really worried. I think you might have breast cancer” changed her life. In her words “I couldn’t believe she just came into the room and word vomited such heavy news all over me, with what at the time, felt like no compassion or concern whatsoever.”

Flash forward to 2013 – Talia was cancer free for nearly three years when a routine visit sent her world spiraling again, just three months (almost to the day) before her 30^th birthday. During a routine follow-up visit every six months, her doctors noticed her tumor markers (tracked through bloodwork) were elevated.

Talia’s oncologist recommended a PET scan to be safe but unfortunately found lymph nodes along her internal mammary glands that looked suspicious. After surgery, the biopsy came back positive for cancer and the journey continues.  While she’s enduring more chemotherapy and radiation, she hasn’t let this diagnosis stop her or break her spirit.

A few weeks ago, she hosted a “head shaving” party with family and friends to make light of the situation and she continues to blog about her journey with some various humorous posts on her blog site – Taliakickscancersass.

“Everything has changed [in my life],” said Talia. “Mostly for the better. I have a renewed love of life, my friends, family, music, nature, my work. I have a deep, real, loving, meaningful relationships with so many people, even some that I’ve never met. It’s funny how something that’s viewed as sad, or even a tragedy can bring out the best in people. It inspires me… reminds me that people are still kind. I try very hard to live in the moment everyday. It’s such an invigorating way to get through life.”

Treatment for the second round of cancer is going well for Talia. She had surgery at the end of  March where they had to deflate her lung to get to the lymph nodes. She’s had two rounds of chemo so far – one just a few days ago. There will be a total of eight treatments every two weeks and then it’s off to radiation.

“I’m just trying to take it one day at a time,” said Talia. “My hair is falling out as a type, but I’m looking forward to not having to shave my legs all summer.”

There’s always a silver lining somewhere for Talia. While her journey is far from over, she has one piece of advice for all the ladies out there.

“Cancer in young women is becoming more common though and it’s usually more aggressive than cancer in older women,” said Talia. “It’s really important for young women to pay attention to their bodies and understand that cancer doesn’t discriminate. Touch your tata’s and check those boobs out ladies!”