Brianna Mercado is a 25-year-old two-time cancer survivor, professional dance artist and teacher based in New York City. Her fellow dancers, friends, family and acquaintances call Brianna a warm and glowing soul who lives with more passion and purpose than most people do in their lifetime.
 
Her journey is a study in contrasts, a life of serious news and playful innocence, knock-downs and get-back-ups, the deepest challenges and the greatest rewards. From surviving life-threatening bone cancer through an exhaustive battle that took her 15th year of life away forever, to receiving a full-ride scholarship to UC Berkeley; from pulling up California roots to move to the Big Apple to tirelessly work to give very ill children reasons to live and fight on as a counselor at a camp for children with cancer - Brianna lives by her own credo as she lifts the spirit of the world: Go big, regardless. 
 
Brianna was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma in June 2006 and with stage 4 thyroid cancer in December 2013. She is underwent radiation therapy, while building her dance career, and as of today, the cancer is under control and continues to shrink every day. She believes there must be a better and less toxic way to treat and cure cancer in children and young adults, and until that day comes, she will continue to support Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation. She volunteers with organizations designed to give terminally ill youth reasons to love their life if only for this moment, and organizes numerous fundraisers for cancer study, treatment and prevention. 
 
Brianna continues to spread her love and passion for life through performing, mentoring, teaching and public speaking. She embodies her belief that inside every impossible situation there is an opportunity to be great and no real reason to wait. If there is more to learn, someone to love, something to give and things to do - then do them, now. 
 
Life Motto: Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, but about learning to dance in the rain. - Vivian Greene 

Brianna Mercado
Updated December 2016