Jo grew up outside of Boston, MA and has lived Philly, DC, Redmond, London and now resides in Bellevue. In Dec. 2017, Jo was diagnosed with stage 2b invasive breast cancer discovered by a routine mammogram at age 52. Because her mom passed away in her 50’s from breast cancer, Jo had genetic testing done. Despite the family history, she tested negative for the BRCA genes. She opted for a single mastectomy with reconstruction, and underwent chemo, radiation and a now is taking an estrogen blocker for the next 5-10 years. Jo loves to play tennis, work out, hike with her dogs, and works part-time. She has been married 23 years and has three boys ages 22, 19 and 17.
“This has been the most vulnerable yet strongest time in my life. I feel extremely fortunate to have caught this early and have been grateful for the support of incredible family, friends, and doctors. Being active has been a vital component — both physically and mentally — to my recovery. When first diagnosed, I attended a Rivkin EDU party that profoundly helped me early in my journey and knew this is how I wanted to give back and help others.”