Cortlandt Manor man battles cancer for the third time, shares message of self-advocacy
Ian Manzares first battled Stage 4 rhabdomyosarcoma when he was 4 years old and later overcame osteosarcoma at age 14.
More Stories
A 26-year-old Cortlandt Manor man who has already beaten cancer twice is now facing a third diagnosis and hoping his story will inspire others to advocate for their own health.
Ian Manzares first battled Stage 4 rhabdomyosarcoma when he was 4 years old and later overcame osteosarcoma at age 14.
After years in remission, he was hospitalized in November 2025 with stomach pain and was ultimately diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer.
Following the diagnosis, Manzares learned he carries the BRCA2 and TP53 gene mutations, which his family says helped to explain why he has developed multiple forms of cancer and at such a young age.
Instead of chemotherapy and radiation, his family says he is taking a newly approved FDA drug, though obtaining the medication was not easy.
His mother, Michelle Manzares, said the treatment costs about $40,000 for a one-month supply and that the family faced challenges getting access to it.
After two weeks on the medication, his mother says it appears to be working.
The family hopes others take away one important lesson from Ian's journey: be your own advocate.
"You can't just sit back and let the doctors tell you one thing," Manzares said. "You have to always kind of advocate for yourself and constantly fight."
Manzares says he has beaten cancer twice before and is determined to do it again.
