Jo Bairzin

BAYS Board Treasurer

Hi! I’m Jo Bairzin. I currently serve as the Treasurer of the BAYS Board, and I also serve on the Intake Committee helping new members join BAYS. I’m an East Bay native who recently relocated to Southern California from my beloved Berkeley. I found out I had a BRCA1 mutation when I was 25, and started regular screening for breast and ovarian cancer. In the fall of 2019 when I was 30, my MRI showed I had Stage 1 triple negative invasive ductal carcinoma. I went through a whirlwind round of fertility preservation and had a lumpectomy, which eventually showed my tumor was just below the size cutoff for chemo. Bullet dodged! Then amidst the Covid pandemic, I had a bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction in the summer of 2020 to complete my treatment. I joined BAYS in early 2020 and wish I had joined when I was first diagnosed; the support and knowledge of others going through this situation is truly invaluable. I (ironically) have a background researching cancer genetics, and I currently work as a medical writer. I enjoy spending time with my lovely husband and two dogs, creating digital art, and playing music.