Cancer Survivor Encourages Others

In a strange way, cancer became a teacher to Brianna Mercado. It taught her to lead the fullest life possible.

"About things I want to do, I always ask myself: If not now, when? Then I take action right away," she says.

Back home in San Jose on spring break from her sophomore year at the University of California, Berkeley, Mercado is as busy as ever with community service. She spoke recently at two South Bay high schools to encourage underprivileged students to apply to college.

After discovering a lump in her chest and armpit area in November 2005, Mercado was diagnosed seven months later with Ewing’s Sarcoma—a rare type of cancer that usually occurs in the bones but hit Mercado’s soft tissue first.

It’s the same type of cancer cells that landed in Justin Perkins’ stomach. When cancer took Perkins’ life in 2009, his life and death inspired the award that carries his name. Mercado was the first recipient of the Justin Perkins Sandlot Award.

Mercado and Perkins received treatment from Dr. Alan Wong at Kaiser Hospital around the same time. So did Jan-Willem "JW" Knapen, who initiated fundraising for JW House, a home-away-from-home for families of patients being treated at hospitals in Santa Clara County.

Of the three, only Mercado survived.

It was for this connection, and Mercado’s survival, that she was given the award in spite of never applying, according to Perkins' father, Albert.

Judges of the award were also impressed by Mercado's community service record, which includes serving as treasurer of her high school's California Scholarship Federation, participation in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life and volunteer work at Camp Okizu, a camp for children dealing with cancer.

Mercado says she was taken by surprise when she heard her name called out at the first Justin Perkins Sandlot Award ceremony in 2009. She went there with her family members and friends to watch the ceremony, expecting nothing for herself.

Though sharing the same doctor, Mercado and Perkins met briefly only once in Wong’s office. Perkins’ death saddened Mercado but also helped her to cherish her own life and renewed health.

Mercado took a year off school for cancer treatment, but her twin, Sabrina, filled her in on the schoolwork she missed. She says that helped her catch up when she returned to school, and eventually contributed to her admission to UC Berkeley.

According to Mercado, her twin, a girlfriend and four male friends gave her moral support by shaving their heads at the time she had to shave her head for significant hair loss caused by chemotherapy.

"I'm very grateful that I had so much support," she says.

Today there are no visible traces of cancer on Mercado. Appearing radiant, she dances vigorously on a regular basis.

"Dancing plays a role of healing in my life," she says.

A double-major—in social welfare and dance and performance—is in the works, which will help her to her goal of social work after graduation. First up, though, she may study abroad.

"I want to see the rest of the world, to learn about different cultures," she says. "Perhaps, I'll go to Africa first."

Full of hopes and dreams, Mercado is now co-founder and co-president of the Berkeley branch of Coach Art, a nonprofit organization that provides free lessons in the arts and athletics for children with chronic or life-threatening illnesses.

Mercado says working with chronically or terminally ill children sometimes makes her think about the possibility of her own cancer returning. She is also aware of her higher risk of breast cancer than most women, because of the radiation exposure her chest once had.

"I always have that in the back of my mind, but so what?" Mercado says. "I'm still going to live the way I want to live. I love everything I'm doing right now. "

Click here for more information about Mercado.

Applications for the are being accepted until April 1.