Now six years cancer-free, Dover owns a boutique marketing agency and hosts a podcast; Dr. Rosenthal was a recent guest
When Brescia Dover was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma at age 20, her first thought was: “Have I done everything I wanted to do with my life?” She was referred to the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Ariz., where she became a patient of hematologist Dr. Allison Rosenthal. It brought Dover comfort to learn her doctor had beaten leukemia 20 years ago.
“She was a superhero to me,” Dover says. “She’d been through this. She knew what the road ahead looked like for me.” Now, 26, Dover owns a boutique marketing agency in Chandler, Ariz., and has no evidence of disease. She has a podcast about normalizing difficult and vulnerable conversations, inspired by her own health journey. She interviews guests about mental health, religion and illness, and recently asked Dr. Rosenthal to speak on her podcast. “Brescia is a remarkable woman,” says Dr. Rosenthal, 44. “She surprises and impresses me still. She is the definition of grit and tenacity and resilience.”
Dover shares her story with PEOPLE’s Wendy Grossman Kantor.
In my sophomore year at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, I decided to study abroad in Italy. I had never seen Brescia, the city I was named after, so I packed my bags in fall 2018 and headed off on my adventure. I had the time of my life and never felt sick or had any odd symptoms. It was a really great experience.
When I got home in December, I had my yearly physical. My doctor found swelling on the left side of my neck and sent me for an ultrasound.
They did a surgical biopsy in January 2019. I didn’t think it would be cancer because you never think that you’re going to get cancer, especially as a young adult.
At a follow-up appointment, the doctor walked in and said, “Good news, you have Hodgkin lymphoma cancer.” And I was like, “How is that good news?” And he said, “Hodgkin lymphoma is the kind of cancer you want to get, because it’s mostly curable.”
I didn’t cry when I first found out. But my mom did; my dad was trying to be brave. I was like, “I can’t believe this is happening to me.” When we got home, I closed my door and Iooked in the mirror and decided that no matter what, I was going to fight and try to get through this.
I took the next semester off and moved home with my parents. I knew I would need their support.
Oddly, I had a friend who was diagnosed with the same cancer. She was receiving her treatment at the Mayo Clinic and referred me to Dr. Allison Rosenthal. From my very first appointment, Dr. Rosenthal made me feel calm.
She told me that she had been diagnosed with leukemia 20 years earlier, at 24 years old, in her second year of medical school.
It comforted me knowing she had been through something similar. I trusted her; I wanted to work with her. She had overcome her illness; she had decided to keep going in life after her cancer journey. She was driven and had goals, and I saw myself in her.
Sitting there, I thought, “This gives me hope.”
It was a scary time, but Dr. Rosenthal made me think, “I got this. I can get through this.” I felt positive looking at someone who had beaten cancer. I knew that, like me, she had to put her life on hold for a bit — but she had kept going. Her journey inspired me.
I was also able to relate to her. I asked her so many questions: “Will I lose my hair? What are the odds that I’ll completely beat this? Should I freeze my eggs?” Her answers made me feel more confident going forward.
The PET scan Dr. Rosenthal ordered came back on Valentine’s Day. She called and said, “You have an earlier stage of Hodgkin lymphoma.” That gave me a lot of hope.
I started six rounds of chemo in late February. I was always one of the younger girls getting chemotherapy at the Mayo Clinic. I would look around and see other women with no hair fighting for their lives. We didn’t really talk, but I felt like we were all in it together.
Chemo was exhausting. Afterwards, I would get in the car and be so sluggish that I wanted to sleep the rest of the day. I felt the most tired I’ve ever felt in my life.
After the final round of chemo, in May 2019, more of my hair started falling out. I told my hairdresser, “I can’t touch my hair without chunks coming out. I think we’re going to have to shave it.” She said, “Let’s do it!” As she started cutting it short, she ran her hands through. “Brescia, do you see that less is coming out?” So we didn’t shave it off. I got to keep most of my hair. I feel really lucky.
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Today, I am six years cancer-free. I got a tattoo of the word “grit” on my left wrist after I beat cancer. For me, it means strength and resilience. You develop grit by having challenges in life, getting through them with strength, and bouncing back.
These days I have lingering side effects of chemotherapy. I’ve had two hip surgeries because I developed dysplasia (that might have been caused by the steroids I took when getting chemo). I have four screws going in on each side of my hips right now. In 2024, I had to basically learn how to walk again.
Sharing my cancer story has helped me connect with so many other women. I get daily messages from other girls in their 20s who are struggling and want comfort. With everything I post and share on my personal social media, I intend to connect with people who are facing difficult realities. I know my story has power; you never know who you can inspire.
I created my podcast after I beat cancer. I wanted to give others a space to be vulnerable, to share their stories and challenges. I have a deep passion for mental health awareness and advocacy, and want to normalize difficult conversations among girls and women.
Dr. Rosenthal came on my podcast in May and spoke about her cancer experience. She got really personal on the episode. She said she started gymnastics when she was 5 and went to college on a competitive gymnast scholarship so she could attend medical school debt-free.
But during spring break of her second year of medical school, she went to the emergency room with a fever and vomiting. She received the scary diagnosis of leukemia. She spoke about her two-and-a-half years of chemotherapy. It was a long journey for her.
Dr. Rosenthal also shared that she went to medical school planning to be an orthopedic surgeon, but her oncologist encouraged her to consider oncology.
Looking back, it was the right choice, she said. “Being able to say to people, ‘Look, I get it. I sat in that chair.’ I think that helps.” She knows what’s at stake. She understands life feeling like it has been turned upside down. She tells patients their journey will be hard, but they will not be alone.
She was very inspiring. She overcame her challenges and helps other people going through cancer. I think it takes a special person to turn pain into purpose.
Similarly, I’ve tried to turn so much of my challenges into my life’s purpose and work.
I was working at a marketing agency after I beat cancer. I launched my own business, a boutique marketing agency, because I knew that if I could beat cancer, I could ride the wave of challenges that come with entrepreneurship. I specialize in creative and strategic marketing. I do videography, social media management, photography and content creation.
My cancer journey also made me realize that you don’t know if you have tomorrow. There’s no time to waste.
This year has been my year: I can walk again, and I’m really growing and thriving in my business. This is the busiest my work has ever been. Early next month, I get the screws out of my hips. Once you get your screws out, you’ve completed the journey, and that’s a really big deal.
In general, I am finally in a good position with both my physical and mental health to scale my business. I’m excited to find a like-minded partner or boyfriend. I’m dating and meeting new people. I’m happy and growing and not looking back. Instead, I am grateful for where I’m at and the chance to move forward.
