Help Fund Danielle's Bilateral Breast Cancer Fight
Donation protected
Dear Community,
I've been thinking for weeks now about how to go about this request. Following much encouragement, I come humbly with a heart of gratitude asking for support. My hope is that opening myself up to receive will better equip me to give and reciprocate blessing others, both now and after I've beat this diagnosis...
At 7am on Monday, December 10th, I awoke to a call from my doctor. Before answering my phone, I knew the result from my biopsy from 5 days earlier would be positive— it had to be, given the urgency of her call with my results. Indeed, her compassionate voice confirmed, "the tumor in your right breast is malignant." My husband, Gordon, sat up beside me from his sleep and began to try to hold me strong and steady as I received instructions on how I was to move forward. When the lump in my breast was found earlier in May of 2018, I was told not to worry and that the lump didn't feel of concern, but to get it looked at for peace of mind by the end of the year if it didn't go away... In an instant, our reality and plans derailed. All my dreams for the future- my fertility and the baby we wanted, the projects I’ve been hustling for, it all seemed to vanish before our eyes. Now, all our scheduled travel would need to be canceled- We wouldn't meet my parents in Maui for their 40th wedding anniversary. We wouldn’t be going to Asia for work. We would need to cancel all plans and all foreseeable travel for work or pleasure in place of Chemotherapy, Surgery, and Radiation.
Since my diagnosis in December we received a secondary diagnosis of ER+ DCIS in my left breast. However, the cancer on the left is a different type than the 3cm HER2 positive Invasive Ductal Carcinoma in my right breast. There is little information available about bilateral breast cancer in young women as myself (31yo) with chances of BBC around 1%-3%. The different types of cancers are unexplained. After the consultation of 5+ doctors over the past month, we have been given a treatment plan that will begin with Chemotherapy in the coming week(s) following the placement of a Chemotherapy Port and the decision over whether or not I will qualify for a Clinical Trial. After chemotherapy, there will be surgery and 7 weeks of radiation to come. We are still waiting on genetic counseling to help advise the best route to surgery.
My husband and I are both freelance designers. We are mid-way through a DIY investment property that will now need to go on hold. The past month of doctors appointments have been a full-time job that have required both of us to take time away from work and from our secondary source of income.
My doctors have asked that I remain off work to focus on my healing through chemotherapy, due to my body being compromised by Chronic Fatigue Syndrome onset by Epstein-Barr in early 2016. For reasons unknown, my body hasn't been able to kick the virus and my overall wellness has been on a steady decline despite all my greatest efforts and the efforts of several doctors and homeopaths.
Each bit of your generous support will help relieve the emotional, physical, and financial burden that comes with fighting breast cancer. Your support will enable me to follow the doctors orders to rest and heal. In addition to traditional treatments, my doctors have also recommended complementary therapies that aren't covered by my insurance– acupuncture, massage, and IV therapy support. Your generosity will not only help cover my medical bills, but also these complementary therapies to help secure my successful recovery, along with therapies to help restore my fertility following treatment.
The news of this cancer diagnosis has been amazingly surreal and a constant flux of emotion. At times the weight of this reality swings between utter and complete devastation to a heightened state of gratitude words don't justly express. All these emotions with the knowledge that this chapter will change me forever, and has already changed me forever. I've had to meet my cancer-fight with a breath of surrender, because without some surrender I know this battle will be much harder. With this said, I thank you for loving me and supporting my rest and healing. I know that with the support of those around me, and by the grace of God, I will soon be fully recovered and rebuilding my story. Please know I am forever grateful for your contributions.
With love,
Danielle (and Gordon)
I've been thinking for weeks now about how to go about this request. Following much encouragement, I come humbly with a heart of gratitude asking for support. My hope is that opening myself up to receive will better equip me to give and reciprocate blessing others, both now and after I've beat this diagnosis...
At 7am on Monday, December 10th, I awoke to a call from my doctor. Before answering my phone, I knew the result from my biopsy from 5 days earlier would be positive— it had to be, given the urgency of her call with my results. Indeed, her compassionate voice confirmed, "the tumor in your right breast is malignant." My husband, Gordon, sat up beside me from his sleep and began to try to hold me strong and steady as I received instructions on how I was to move forward. When the lump in my breast was found earlier in May of 2018, I was told not to worry and that the lump didn't feel of concern, but to get it looked at for peace of mind by the end of the year if it didn't go away... In an instant, our reality and plans derailed. All my dreams for the future- my fertility and the baby we wanted, the projects I’ve been hustling for, it all seemed to vanish before our eyes. Now, all our scheduled travel would need to be canceled- We wouldn't meet my parents in Maui for their 40th wedding anniversary. We wouldn’t be going to Asia for work. We would need to cancel all plans and all foreseeable travel for work or pleasure in place of Chemotherapy, Surgery, and Radiation.
Since my diagnosis in December we received a secondary diagnosis of ER+ DCIS in my left breast. However, the cancer on the left is a different type than the 3cm HER2 positive Invasive Ductal Carcinoma in my right breast. There is little information available about bilateral breast cancer in young women as myself (31yo) with chances of BBC around 1%-3%. The different types of cancers are unexplained. After the consultation of 5+ doctors over the past month, we have been given a treatment plan that will begin with Chemotherapy in the coming week(s) following the placement of a Chemotherapy Port and the decision over whether or not I will qualify for a Clinical Trial. After chemotherapy, there will be surgery and 7 weeks of radiation to come. We are still waiting on genetic counseling to help advise the best route to surgery.
My husband and I are both freelance designers. We are mid-way through a DIY investment property that will now need to go on hold. The past month of doctors appointments have been a full-time job that have required both of us to take time away from work and from our secondary source of income.
My doctors have asked that I remain off work to focus on my healing through chemotherapy, due to my body being compromised by Chronic Fatigue Syndrome onset by Epstein-Barr in early 2016. For reasons unknown, my body hasn't been able to kick the virus and my overall wellness has been on a steady decline despite all my greatest efforts and the efforts of several doctors and homeopaths.
Each bit of your generous support will help relieve the emotional, physical, and financial burden that comes with fighting breast cancer. Your support will enable me to follow the doctors orders to rest and heal. In addition to traditional treatments, my doctors have also recommended complementary therapies that aren't covered by my insurance– acupuncture, massage, and IV therapy support. Your generosity will not only help cover my medical bills, but also these complementary therapies to help secure my successful recovery, along with therapies to help restore my fertility following treatment.
The news of this cancer diagnosis has been amazingly surreal and a constant flux of emotion. At times the weight of this reality swings between utter and complete devastation to a heightened state of gratitude words don't justly express. All these emotions with the knowledge that this chapter will change me forever, and has already changed me forever. I've had to meet my cancer-fight with a breath of surrender, because without some surrender I know this battle will be much harder. With this said, I thank you for loving me and supporting my rest and healing. I know that with the support of those around me, and by the grace of God, I will soon be fully recovered and rebuilding my story. Please know I am forever grateful for your contributions.
With love,
Danielle (and Gordon)
Organizer
Danielle Van Noy
Organizer
New York, NY
