When Lesley Davis Green told her children she had breast cancer, her son, Louis, then 4, listened carefully and thought for a moment. He told his mother they were “Team Cobra Kai,” referring to the popular Netflix sequel to “The Karate Kid” films, known for its themes of perseverance and resilience.
“We're Team Cobra Kai, and a Cobra Kai never dies,” Louis told his mom.
Green, now 47, of Inglewood, held onto that sentence as she began treatment, at a time when little else felt steady.
In June 2025, Green was diagnosed with stage 4 HER2-positive breast cancer after months of symptoms, including persistent itching on her left breast that made it difficult to sleep.
After hearing the diagnosis, Green cried.
“I thought I was going to die,” she said. “I was depressed for so long.”
At home, she told her husband, Stephen, first, then returned to the conversation with her children, Louis and Ebony, who is now 7. She chose to speak plainly, even as fear and uncertainty lingered.
Green was referred to City of Hope South Bay, where she could receive outpatient cancer care close to home while also having access to the broader City of Hope cancer system.
There, she met Sharvina Ziyeh, M.D., or Dr. Z, as she is affectionately called by some patients and City of Hope staff.
“Doctor Z is the best,” Green said. “She took the time to explain everything to me and the kids. She made us feel very at ease.”
In June 2025, Green started chemotherapy. Her treatment plan included six chemotherapy treatments administered every three weeks, followed by surgery by Annie Tang, M.D., and radiation by Ji Hyun Kim, M.D,. in South Bay.
“Receiving chemotherapy and radiation so close to home was important,” Green said. “I didn’t have to travel far and could be close to my family.”
During treatment, Green leaned heavily on her children’s perspective — especially Louis, who offered comfort in unexpected ways.
“My son brought me a ring he found and said, ‘Here, Mommy. This is going to protect you from the cancer,’” Green said. “I never take it off.”
“How a four-year-old can give you so much faith, I don’t know,” she said. “He made me realize I was going to fight this.”
Chemotherapy was given first to shrink the tumor. Surgery followed on Dec. 1 — her birthday. The mastectomy removed cancer from her left breast after treatment had reduced it to the point that it could no longer be felt.
“She had a remarkable response to chemotherapy and surgery, which is a very positive part of her journey,” Ziyeh said.
During chemotherapy, Green had searched for books to help explain cancer to her kids but found most of them unrealistic.
“I started reading children’s books to help prepare them,” Green said, referring to Louis and her daughter Ebony. “But they didn’t feel real.”
She decided to write her own book titled “Mommy Was Bitten by the Cancer Bug.”
Green’s book does not soften the experience or hide physical changes. The illustrations show her bald. The story reflects fear, confusion and humor as they existed side by side.
Today, Green continues her recovery while advocating for honesty — especially with children.
“This is our life now, and we were going to face it together,” she said.