Erika Fite-Fraits’ mother, Lisa Fite, fought breast cancer twice, passing away in 2021. Despite the pain and loss for the family, it was also the beginning of a new chapter for Erika – something she would have never seen coming.
“When my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer for the second time, we also found out she was a carrier for the mutated gene PALB2,” Fite-Fraits said. “It greatly increased her risk and was likely why she had a reoccurrence.”
Many have probably heard of the BRCA gene. It’s received a lot of attention lately and can warn physicians of increased risk for certain types of cancers. The PALB2 gene is similar. Both can show an increased risk for breast and ovarian cancers.
The family met with a genetic counselor and found Erika and her brothers were all carriers of the gene.
“Following her passing and receiving information from my genetic counselor, I started on my own journey of being an advocate for myself and trying to encourage others,” she said. “I’ve seen what breast cancer can do from several different angles.”
As president of Fite Plumbing in Plainfield, she’s using the business to create awareness around breast cancer and proactive care.
“I think there’s a general distaste for giving money for cancer research because it’s hard to see the advancement in medicine,” she said. “This takes a lot of time and a lot of money, and unfortunately people have to die to get more research going. It’s a very humbling experience.”
After everything she’s experienced, Fite-Fraits began a campaign with the hashtag #FiteCancer.
“The biggest thing is education, and with our position in the construction industry, we want to help get the word out there,” Fite-Fraits said.
They’ve hosted Lunch and Learn events with representatives from the Susan G. Komen Foundation. They participate in a 5K walk, and employees are wearing Fite Cancer hats and T-shirts.
They also collect donations throughout the year for breast cancer research.
Fite-Fraits was surprised by the continually updated information she was receiving.
“When we first found out about this gene the risk was around 50/50 for me, but by the time of my mother’s passing, my specialist called with new research and said my risk was greatly increased,” she said. “She recommended a double mastectomy.”
That decision alone can be a difficult one. Paired with the passing of her mother and all of the emotions she was feeling, Fite-Fraits began thinking of other people in similar situations.
She underwent the surgery and reconstruction for herself and her family, and said there were plenty of ups and downs. It gave her the urge to share with others, encourage others and make others aware of the risks.
“I’ve done a lot of things with Arbonne beauty and health care,” she said. “I was always pro finding confidence in your skin, and it’s almost gone full circle, to trying to be confident in my own skin after the surgery. It just made me think, ‘How can I help others with this?’ I don’t want these experiences to go unused if they can benefit someone else.”
She also realized she had to be proactive.
“I had to make the calls,” she said. “If I didn’t follow up, I might not have had this done. You have to advocate for your own body. You’re the one living it so if a doctor doesn’t listen, get a second opinion. Sometimes people make you feel like you’re just being paranoid, but you need to listen to your instinct.”
After her own proactive journey, Fite-Fraits recommends talking to your gynecologist and bringing a family history with you.
“Not everyone has their family history, but it’s a huge key factor,” she said. “We had a very strong trend on my mom’s side. Make sure to have your mammograms, and with all of those things put together, in my case, my GYN referred me to a specialist.”
Fite-Fraits enjoys talking to people, hearing their stories and sharing her own. In fact, the T-shirt she wears around the community has often led to conversations with strangers.
“I think people are kind of embarrassed or assume you don’t want to talk about it, but once you’ve experienced it, you know how to ask questions to make others feel more comfortable,” she said. “It’s allowed me to build connections and see different perspectives.”
When her mother was fighting cancer for the second time during the pandemic, Fite-Fraits’ family moved in to help care for her.
“I thought the grandkids would be good for her, and we just hibernated together and got through this together,” she said. “It was an emotional roller coaster but I think so many people may be not have that kind of support. When your husband has passed away and the kids live out of town, who do you talk to?”
Fite-Fraits hopes to continue building momentum on her social media campaign and educational offerings. She wants to provide new outlets for those who have been diagnosed or have a loved one who has been diagnosed.
“Some of our hospitals have networks or classes, but I’ve always thought everything else is done in the hospital, and the last place you want to go to hang out and be comfortable is the place everything else is happening. I’d love to create a network in the community and provide meetings away from the hospital. I don’t want people to feel like they are alone in this.”
In the meantime, Fite-Fraits will continue to spread awareness in every way she knows how.
All events are posted on the Fite Plumbing Facebook page, and this year, look for a sublink on the page to show how much has been raised in the campaign.
“I just want to continue the conversation,” Fite-Fraits said. “I want people to talk about this and we’re going to use our platform at Fite Plumbing to do that.”
