Kelly Shanahan, MD
Metastatic Breast Cancer Advocate and Physician
Highlights
- Speaker, 2026 Conference on Metastatic Breast Cancer
- President of the Board of Directors, METAvivor
- Advocate advancing patient involvement in clinical trial design and research
Kelly Shanahan, MD, is a physician and woman living with metastatic breast cancer. Before her diagnosis, she maintained a busy and successful OB-GYN practice while raising her young daughter and traveling frequently with her family. She was diagnosed with stage IIB breast cancer in 2008 and with metastatic disease in 2013 at age 53.
Following her metastatic diagnosis, treatment-related neuropathy led Kelly to step away from her clinical career. She has since dedicated her work to advocacy, using both her medical background and lived experience to improve research and care for people with metastatic breast cancer.
Kelly serves as president of the Board of Directors of METAvivor and is involved in several national initiatives, including the Patient-Centered Dosing Initiative, Susan G. Komen’s Advocate in Science program, the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology, and the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer. She also contributes as a grant reviewer and research advocate.
Through her advocacy, Kelly is committed to ensuring that patient perspectives are included in the design, implementation, and evaluation of clinical trials. She continues to navigate treatment while working to advance more inclusive, patient-centered cancer care.