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Pencil Skirt Society Podcast

Karissa is nothing short of a superhero who has overcome incredible odds. After discovering the option to take part in genetic testing, her doctors discovered a rare genetic issue that could lead to a fatal form of stomach cancer. Instead of panicking or giving up, she did the unthinkable and had her stomach completely removed. Her story is so inspiring and she now focuses on spreading awareness to others so they could possibly avoid fates like this in the future.

Cure Magazine Special Issue • Rare Cancers 07.21

When Karissa Eifert’s mother died in 2015 of hereditary diffuse gastric cancer (HDGC) caused by an inherited (also termed “germline”) mutation in the CDH1 gene, Eifert’s gynecologist proactively suggested she get genetic testing. Because of Eifert’s family history of breast cancer and her mother’s diagnosis, the doctor opted for a full panel of genetic screening.

A few weeks after, Eifert was told she had a mutation in the CDH1 gene. She was just 34 years old.

Stomach Cancer Awareness Ep.8 w/Karissa

Today we talked with Karissa, who just celebrated her 2 year total gastrectomy. Karissa lost her mother to diffuse gastric cancer and through genetic testing was able to eliminate that risk for herself. Her road to recovery was not easy but now today she’s thriving. Thank you for talking with us and sharing your struggles and strengths! You are definitely someone we can look to when we decide to take the plunge.